Cover Letter Tips

Using individuality as an advantage in today’s job industry 

An important component of applying for a job is the cover letter. More often than not, this is intimidating because explaining your work history, engaging the interviewer, and standing out as an ideal candidate can be difficult to articulate all on one page! However, in today’s job market, standing out is seen as a strength more than in previous years, removing the need to fit into a predetermined mold allowing you to shine and be yourself. Below are 6 tips for writing the best cover letter to elevate your job application to the next level! 

1. Use a template

It’s okay to have a template created to help make the generation of multiple cover letters easier! We all appreciate elements of automation in your daily lives. When creating the template, set up a heading to match your resume heading and plan a few options of work experiences that you are proud of and will most likely share. Try having a few versions of your closing sentence/statement and signature ready. Having a few of these elements prepared will help you not feel so overwhelmed when applying for multiple jobs. You can then make small edits to fit each job that you are applying for!

2. Create a unique cover letter for each job (Wait, aren’t these two contradictory?)

Yes, these seem contradictory, however, working from a template is just so that you have an outline of what you would like to say. Remember, just as your resumes need to be tailored for each job application, so do your cover letters! Make sure to highlight your greatest work accomplishments that apply directly to the job description. Articulate clearly what you will bring to this job, do not expect the hiring manager to infer what experience you have. Using keywords from the job description will also stand out as directly applicable and impressive experience. This will help your cover letter and resume stand out amongst the competition!

3. Make it personal

Address the letter to the hiring manager if their name is provided. If not, make sure to have a warm opening. Write like you are speaking to someone - in a professional yet conversational style. Writing in a robotic and formal tone will not make you stand out among your competition. Instead, this will disengage the reader. The job application process is tedious, but the application review process is too! Your introduction should feel like you are stepping off of the page to shake their hand with a big smile on your face. Engage your reader immediately and make them want to read the entire cover letter and meet you in person!
Check out some great introduction tips for your cover letter here: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-opening-lines-cover-letter-noticed/

4. Highlight what you HAVE, not what you’re missing

Of course there will be parts of the job requirements that you will not have. Hiring managers put together a list of dream qualifications, knowing that candidates will rarely fulfill all of them. Knowing that, take some stress off of yourself and take the chance in applying! Highlight your coursework, years of work experience, or special skills that will align with parts of the job requirements to impress the hiring manager. Make them see all that you do have and how impressive you are, rather than allowing them to notice that you might not have a few suggested qualifications. Make your accomplishments stand out! This will overshadow anything that you may fall short on. 

5. Use a creative format

Try using a creative format to let your personality shine through! Use bullet points to highlight your job accomplishments, or images if you need to highlight a prized portfolio piece. As the job market continues to change, the strict formatting rules of the past are no longer applicable. The job application process is all about individuality and showing how you can bring something special to the job. Trends have moved from fitting into a prescribed formula. This is an asset to young professionals in the workplace because your generation has been cultivated to use individuality as a strength. Highlighting your professional accomplishments in a creative format by using bullet points, images, or different font will also be helpful to the hiring manager. Making these things jump out on the page will allow them to skim quickly and see exactly what they need to determine if you will move onto the next stage of the application process. 

Try experimenting with a format like this: 

Dear ________, (You may be more formal with your greeting if you do not know who the hiring manager is)
Introduction (2-3 sentences) - I’ve grabbed their attention with a stellar opening line! I have stated what job I am applying for. I’ve written in a friendly and professional way, and now they want to see what experiences I have. 
Body (1-2 paragraphs) - In my current job as ______, I have accomplished/succeeded in/implemented ....(take the opportunity to brag about a few impressive things that you did at your most recent job!)

• Statistic

• Exciting element

• Directly applicable skill

My prior job experiences have generated……(highlight general skills or talents that you have that will apply directly to the job you are applying for)

• Skill 1

• Skill 2

Conclusion (2-4 sentences) - As you can see, I am an ideal candidate because (use italics or bold to highlight the transferable skills previously stated). Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Sincerely….(include your contact information if you haven’t done so already at the top of the letter so they know how to get ahold of you quickly)

If you’ve chosen to work with bullet points, pull everything together with italics or bold words in your conclusion to summarize what you’ve said above. This will pop the important information right out to the hiring manager and ensure they are able to skim it quickly and still understand who you are as a candidate. If you choose not to use bullet points, then keep your sentences short and easy to read. The cover letter should be skimmable yet detailed. 

6. Edit, Edit, Edit! 

Remember, this is a letter! Proper grammar, sentence structure, and spelling are all mechanics of writing that will stand out if they are incorrect. Take the time to edit the cover letter, and have a friend or colleague go over it too. DO NOT let a silly run on sentence or spelling error ruin your chances at getting to interview for your dream job! 

There are countless self-help articles written about writing cover letters. However, if you’re really feeling stuck when getting started, practice introducing yourself as you would if you were meeting in person and go from there. Remember, highlighting your accomplishments in a creative way and being warm and open through your words will help you stand out. The cover letter is the moment that you have to shine out from other candidates by explaining details from your resume. Make it as interesting and exciting as you are! 

If you want more tips and more “how-to” advice on writing your perfect cover letter, check out these articles below. They are great resources for getting started! 
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-31-tips-you-need-to-know
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-cover-letter-writing-tips-2060304