A well-written cover letter is an essential part of any job application or resume submission. It will contribute to your success in getting a job by helping you get an interview. But before you write the letter you should have your resume ready to go and you’ll need to do a bit of research.
Research Your Company: You should try to understand the language that your company uses in its branding, as well as the skills they value most highly in workers. You can do this from home by looking at their website, calling their help lines, or networking through LinkedIn or other business social networking sites. This will let you tailor your cover letter to match exactly what they want so that it can be the perfect bridge between your resume and the job.
Address it to your Hirer: It shows that you're personally invested when you can address a cover letter specifically to the person in charge of your hiring decision, which you should be able to find out through your networking and research.
Value in Brevity: You want to say enough to get the reader to move on to your resume. Never write more than one page, but generally much less. Each paragraph should seldom contain more than four sentences. Moreover, if you are emailing the letter in the body of an email, keep in mind that we are used to reading short emails and try to edit it even further.
Structure it the Right Way: The basic format of any successful cover letter is: Lead line -> Sales pitch -> Strong closer.
You want to begin with a powerful "grabber" to catch the attention of your potential employer. You want to quickly convey that you can make a difference.
The "sales pitch" consists of a short paragraph or set of bullet points enumerating the reasons you'd be a good acquisition for your company. Ideally, this should consist of your experience, your talents, and your accomplishments in your employer's field. Make it short and sweet; leave them wanting more. In product marketing, the term "Unique Selling Proposition (USP)" communicates the one factor that distinguishes a product from all others.
Try to come up with your own USP. Ask yourself a couple of important questions: What makes me better at my job? How does my experience make me appear more qualified? What can I bring to the company right away that few others can offer? The stronger your USP, the more powerful and effective the cover letter.
A strong closer consists of a take-charge attitude regarding a potential interview. Companies like it when prospective employees take the initiative. Promise to call the company back in a week to check on your application and your interview. The only reason you shouldn't do this is if the job posting specifically says, "no phone calls."
Use Proper Grammar and Spelling: This should go without saying.
Use Company Keywords: Through your research, if there are any words that are mentioned repeatedly on their website that are also on the job posting you're applying for, consider using a couple of them in your cover letter. Be careful to make sure they flow naturally. If you are obvious, you’ll appear silly.
Emails and cover letters: When submitting your resume as an email attachment, don't attach your cover letter, too. If you do, your cover letter may be ignored. Instead, paste the cover letter in the body of the email so it's right there when HR opens the message.
Post-Writing Guidelines: Always follow up! Make it easy for your chosen company to hire you by calling them back a week later. This is where it helps to be organized about your job search. Every time you send off a cover letter, make a note on your calendar or personal planner, or, set up a simple database to keep track of all your job search activity, including resumes and cover letters sent.
If you need an experienced resume writer and career coach to help you advance to the next level, I can help you craft a game plan and a resume to get you to your goal.