Creating a Compelling Cover Letter
A powerfully written cover letter is necessary to land most
interviews and ensure job search success. When an advertised
position creates a pile of 100+ resumes, it becomes the
responsibility of the hiring personnel to shortlist the
applications. Resumes without cover letters are usually the
first to go, followed by the ones with poorly written cover
letters. Avoid this fate by following these effective strategies:
Address your cover letter appropriately:
Be sure that you get the name of the hiring manager before
sending your resume, and address the letter to that individual.
The proper greeting will be either "Dear Mr. (Smith)," or "Dear
Ms. (Smith)." Avoid using Miss or Mrs., and do not address your
letter to "Dear Sirs," as it is considered inappropriate. If you
are unsure of your contact's gender, address them by their first
and last name, as in "Dear Pat Smith," to avoid an embarrassing
mistake. If you don't know the name of the hiring manager,
simply use the greeting "Dear Hiring Manager,"- it's clear, to
the point, and gender neutral.
Get to the point in your opening paragraph:
One of the most common interviewing questions employers ask is
"Why should I hire you among other candidates?" Provide an
answer to that question right off the bat in your opening
paragraph. This is a very important section because it is the
first thing the employer will read. It must be powerful and make
an immediate impact. Be sure sell yourself and your unique
abilities. Do not use a generic opening paragraph that can apply
to any Tom, Dick or Harry.
Every line should sell you, so use aggressive language here and
throughout the rest of your cover letter. For example, instead
of writing "My background is in finance management, making me
well-suited for your advertised Corporate Finance Director
position." you can write "A background in finance management and
a proven record of developing effective strategies that drive
revenue, growth and shareholder value make me a strong candidate
for your advertised Corporate Finance Director position."
Show your interest and sell your accomplishments in the body of
the letter:
In this section, you need to show your interest in the job and
the company. Research is a key ingredient to a successful job
search. The more you are able to demonstrate your interest and
knowledge about a company, the better your chances are to secure
an interview. Get to know the company's mission and new
corporate initiatives, and tell them how you can help them meet
their objectives or resolve their problems. Praise the company
for public recognitions or recent accomplishments. The employer
will surely take notice of your active interest.
Use "I" and "my" sparingly. Try not to use these words more than
six times in your cover letter. You need to focus on what you
will bring to the company and how you will help them improve
their profitability. Too much use of the word "I" will also make
your letter look elementary and poorly written.
For executive-level candidates and professionals with
substantial achievements, a bullet point format is often the
most effective and efficient way to highlight accomplishments.
If you fall into this category, be sure to keep the bullet point
statements unique and fresh. Do not copy and paste the exact
same phrases from the resume as it will make you look lazy. All
sentences and achievements transferred from the resume should be
rephrased.
Close your letter with a strong paragraph:
In the closing paragraph, you need to address several issues. At
the very least, you need to ask for the interview and provide
contact information. This is also the ideal place to mention
your salary requirements (if the employer insists on it), or
your desire to relocate.
To demonstrate your drive and interest, mention that you will
call within a week to follow up. This is a great way to ensure
the resume was successfully received, and it creates an
opportunity to establish a dialog. However, do not mention this
in your cover letter if you do not intend to follow up.
In summation, an aggressive and dynamic cover letter will help
you stand out among the competition. Remember that the goal is
to market yourself - not to compose a dull biography.