Is Your Cover Letter Helping You Stand Out From the Pack?

Your-Cover-Letter

With so many job seekers out there, it’s very easy for you to be perfectly qualified for a job but be passed over without as much as a callback. What went wrong? Why didn’t you garner attention? It could be a lack of relevant keywords in your resume, or not properly communicating your skills. But learning to write a terrific cover letter might be a cure for what ails your job search. Read on to learn some techniques that you can use to craft the perfect cover letter for the job at hand.

What Does A Cover Letter Do?

Your-Cover-LetterA cover letter is designed to expand upon elements of your resume, not regurgitate them. Many people fall into the trap of repeating their resumes in their cover letters, however doing so is a missed opportunity to make an impression.

Think of it this way: your resume is a comprehensive list of your education, job experience, and acquired skills, while your cover letter puts all of those elements into context. It’s a chance to go into more detail about important skills and experience while showcasing good writing skills and a bit of personality. It’s your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of what the job entails and how you can benefit the company.

As you can see, it’s not an opportunity that you want to miss. With this in mind, we can start implementing some tips. Hence, here are some important insights that will gear your cover letter for this purpose.

Tips and Tricks

As a start, when it comes to writing a cover letter, keep it short. It can be tempting to try and use the space to woo a recruiter or hiring manager, but the longer you go, the less likely you are to maintain interest. Most cover letters should be only a few paragraphs, and certainly no more than a page. Another thing to keep in mind is that presentation matters. Many resume experts suggest trying to use PDFs for your resumes to avoid any issues with file conversions or formatting errors. The same applies to cover letters. People reading your cover letters shouldn’t have to do any added work to see the content. More likely than not, you’ll simply end up being skipped over. However, equally important is adhering to the instructions provided by the company. In general, PDF is the way to go, unless it is specified otherwise.

When it comes to the nuts and bolts of putting together your cover letter, remember that keywords matter. Sometimes, companies actually use software to find certain keywords to screen candidates, but there are reasons to use these rather than just getting a machine to notice you. Certain industries and even companies within those industries have specific jargon and phrases they like to use. Including these in your cover letter not only demonstrates your interest and passion, but it also shows that you’ve done your due diligence in researching the place you are trying to work.

By the same token, you also want to look up the company’s values. Remember earlier, how we mentioned that a cover letter lets employers know how you can support the company? In order to communicate this effectively, you need to put together an accurate picture of the company’s goals and state clearly how you can help them meet their goals.

Getting Started

Your-Cover-LetterWhen it comes to a cover letter, the fact is that not everyone is writing-oriented. However, it’s important to note that there are several ways to try and relieve this burden. For one, a cover letter isn’t designed to be long, no more than a page at the most. After all, the content in your cover letter should enhance your resume, not repeat its content. The good news is that there is a multitude of resources out there that can help you write a solid letter. Check out online cover letter samples and templates for job seekers to get inspired.

Use these resources to get you started with regard to structure, word choice, and style. Remember, just like the resume itself, you want to find a sample or template that matches the industry and culture that you are seeking.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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