Tips for Writing a Cover letter: A Brief Intro

If you don’t think a cover letter is important, imagine this situation: You walk up to a person you have never met before at a party and randomly start talking about yourself. The person is probably going to be a little confused and wonder, ” Wait this person is interesting.. but who are they, and what is their connection to me? A better approach (and one you probably do) is first introduce yourself (your name.. how you know the party hostess.. why you are approaching them (could be simple as “I haven’t met you before”) and THEN you can begin telling them about all of the wonderful volunteer work, and jobs you have done! Okay maybe you wouldn’t go that far.. but you are getting my point. Introductions are a necessary part of our everyday lives, and this is why a cover letter is so important. It is a way of introducing yourself to the company and giving them incentive to look at your resume. Imagine receiving a resume without one. You might think,  ”Wow this person is very experienced and seems like a great fit for this position, but who are they and why do they want this specific job at our company? “ 

There are many great books and website out there that have very helpful tips for writing an amazing cover letter. Before you begin, here are some tips to get you in line for an interview (instead of the paper shredder)

Have a great opening line: If you are applying for a good position (esp if you are using craigslist) chances are the person is reading a lot of applications besides yours. Grab their attention immediately and either mention a name who referred you, or connect to a common experience. Think of it like the conversation described above. When you meet someone and you both have a friend in common, it sparks conversation and keeps you both interested. 

Briefly Summarize your experience: Your resume will have this in detail, but using two or three relevant qualifications/experiences  will lure them in. For example, let them know a skill you posses, a time you used it and why that was unique. A lot of people might have “excellent communication skills” but using them to coordinate multiple events, and write excellent media briefs at your internship with NBC, is sure to grab their attention. Remember keep it short and sweet. 

Make a Powerful Closing: If you are saying goodbye to someone you just met and are interested in, chances are you aren’t going to end the convo with a simple  ”Bye see you later!” Always indicate that you wish to have further follow- up and look forward to meeting with them in person. 

Address it to a specific person:  Addressing your cover letter to the specific person reading it, is always more personal and effective than a simple ” To Whom it May Concern.” This may require some detective work, but this is well worth it, whether it be through Google or contacting the company directly.

Proof-Read!!!!! Ask any hiring manager, and they will give you countless stories where people made some pretty big goof-ups on their cover letters. “ Enclosed is a ruff draft of my resume,” and, “Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!” are great ways to get your cover letter passed around the office, but not for the reason you intended. Always read it several times and have someone else review it as well for errors. 

Avoid using a generic cover letter. If you are applying to a bunch of different places, it might seem tiring to have to write a unique cover letter each time. However, each company and position is different. If you are applying to similar positions, some of your letter may stay the same, however you should take the time to research each company and position, and make each cover letter unique.

Tags: Cover letter, Job, resume