Cover letters are often an afterthought, but they are really one of the most powerful tools you have as a job seeker. Make yours stand out and help elevate you as a potential job candidate! The following 7 improvements are easy to implement, and will help your cover letter shine compared to the competition.
Use the same contact information formatting on your cover letter as you do on your resume. This provides consistency between the two job application documents.
Use a business letter format. Many people write an informal cover letter, but it should be a formal document and the business letter format is best.
Try to address it to a specific person. Can't find the hiring managers name? Then instead address it to "Dear Sales Hiring Manager," or something along those lines. Whatever you do, avoid "to whom it may concern," as that is considered outdated.
Many cover letters have a weak introduction. Start out strong. Indicate where you heard about the job, and state that you believe you are qualified for the role.
Don't just write a big long paragraph. Format it for easy reading. Use bullets and bolding. Make the document appear well-organized.
Use a strong closing. Consider addressing the specifics of the job posting and/or company information, such as how you would fit in with the company culture.
PROOFREAD!!! A spelling error or other typo may mean your cover letter is cast aside immediately. Take a few minutes to verify you don't have any obvious mistakes within your cover letter.
The seven suggestions summarized above are not difficult or time consuming. Yet, they can significantly improve a mediocre cover letter.
Would you like a professional to write your cover letter for you? Revision Resume would be happy to help you! Email us at info@revisionresume.com.
Comments