Who else would you want to take advice from but a hiring manager? US News & World Report offers 21 tips straight from the people who judge your job applications. I wouldn’t argue with their advice if I were you! 12 Things Hiring Managers Wish You Knew – from Yahoo and US News & World Report
Just about every client I work with lately brings up the rumor they’ve heard that no one reads cover letters anymore. This rumor is ONLY a rumor and if you take action based on it, you will shoot yourself in the foot in your job search.
In a recent article posted on Work Coach Cafe, “15 Job Search Tips from a Guy Who Just Got a Job,” a successful job seeker named John relates how the CEO of a company personally reached out to him to thank him for sending a cover letter! In fact, John was the ONLY candidate to send a cover letter, most likely because everyone else believed the rumor that cover letters never get read. John made an impression.
This topic is also covered on Great Resumes Fast in “Cover Letters: Does Anybody Read Those Anymore?” The author points out that the cover letter is your opportunity to show genuine interest and to make a case that you are specifically qualified for this job.
Why would you tailor your resume to a job and then write a generic cover letter? If you are truly interested in a position, it is worth your time to write a unique letter to the company about who you are and why you would make a difference for that company. Do not write a generic cover letter and send it along with a generic or somewhat tailored resume to zillions of job listings, hoping that you‘ll somehow win the numbers game. That is NOT the way to get a job!
Instead, begin building a relationship right from the start with the company that might be your future employer. Imagine yourself in this job and write down what you will bring to the position. Sell yourself.
Anyone can spot a cover letter that is really just a mail merge. Remember… you are a human being and, if you get past the computer scanners, so is the person who reads your cover letter. By writing a custom letter, you reveal your humanity and respect the humanity of the HR person or hiring manager. If you begin early to develop a relationship with that person, you are in great shape to be asked for an interview.
I absolutely love the process of crafting great cover letters. You may have heard that some recruiters don’t read cover letters, but I would emphasize “some.” For the ones who do (and you don’t know who they will be), and for smaller employers, an impressive cover letter can make a huge difference.
Your cover letter can show recruiters and hiring managers a little bit about how you would show up in an interview. Here are 3 tips that will get you in the door!
1) Impress your reader quickly. In the first paragraph, after you say what job you’re applying to, list *briefly* the major reasons you are the right candidate for the job. This task can be done in just a few words. Yes really it can! For example:
My experience as senior project manager at Blue Shoes, combined with my extensive coursework in business management at Green Vest University, give me the requisite skills for the Project Manager position at Purple Fashion Inc.
Note: The reader doesn’t have to wonder whether you’ve got the training and experience for the position. He or she has a reason to read further.
2) Say not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company (they couldn’t care less how great a match they are for your interests!)
Do NOT say: “I have always been interested in fashion and the position at Purple Fashion Inc. will give me the experience I seek.”
Aaargh!! Companies are not in the business of giving you the experience you seek. They hire people who will make a contribution, not suck the life out of them!
Instead, say something like: “I have been studying business and working in the fashion industry for the entirety of my academic and professional career, and I look forward to contributing my skills and passion to Purple Fashion Inc.”
3) Tell a good, brief story [this tip applies more to smaller organizations who take time to read your cover letter]. The person reading your cover letter is a human being, and human beings like stories. If you do a good job with your cover letter, the reader will be enthralled and left wanting more — that’s the effect you want!
Here’s a sample story: “In 2008, I worked with our product design and marketing teams to implement a new product campaign. After 3 months, our marketing plan was on track but it became clear that certain production costs would have to be reduced. Through my leadership, our team reduced those costs by 30% without any labor reduction and the campaign became profitable in the sixth month of operation. I will bring this capability for incisive and effective decision making to Purple Fashion Inc.”
My clients have great success getting interviews, and I know at least part of that success is due to their effective, engaging cover letters.
Don’t forget the resume of course, which must be tailored to the job and packed with your accomplishments!
For assistance with writing cover letters and resumes that will get you interviews, contact The Essay Expert
I came across this article in my travels, and in case any of you encounter the same advice, I want to warn you now NOT to follow it. I strongly discourage anyone to include a quotation in a cover letter, unless that quotation comes from a client or supervisor (even then, I tend to omit them and let the employer call the references so they can sing your praises).
The fact that you like a quotation does not mean you will live up to it. In your cover letter, give inspiring examples of what you have done and then say you will live up to your own examples. Hard facts always speak louder than flowery language.
When I was a hiring manager I never received a cover letter containing a quotation, but if I had I would have mistrusted it immediately. Anyone can do a google search for inspiring quotations. Not very many people truly meet the high standards set by those words.
Here’s the advice NOT to follow: “Season” Your Cover Letter with a Great Quote!
I couldn’t agree more with this plug by Dawn Rasmussen for the importance of writing a great cover letter. I would go so far as to say your cover letter is the chocolate mousse filling in your triple layer cake. Yum! If you are applying for jobs and your cover letter can use a boost in richness and depth, consider a Cover Letter Package from The Essay Expert. You can read the article here: Cover Letters – Icing on the Cake
Are you unsure about what to put in an email cover letter? Here’s one way to approach the task from Susan Ireland. 6 Ways to Optimize Your Email Cover Letter
What Color is Your Cover Letter?
Most letters that come across my desk, both at the University of Wisconsin Law School and in my business, are some variation of gray. And gray doesn’t stand out. It just blends into the background.
A Little Gray is Okay
I don’t expect a lot from the first paragraph of a cover letter. That’s where you tell them what job you’re applying for, where you found out about it, and something very basic about you and your goals.
I don’t expect a lot from the last paragraph either. That’s where you tell them your resume is attached and that you look forward to discussing your qualifications for the position.
Time for a Paint Job
It’s the middle paragraph or two where color comes into play.
The grayed-out letters I tend to see look something like this:
“I have spent the last ten years gaining experience in X. At job A, I did B, where I gained experience in C. At job D, I did E, and gained experience doing F. At job G, I did H, and learned J. I therefore feel that I would be an asset to your company.”
I hope you agree with me that it’s time for a makeover!
Painting Your Passion
Stop blending into the background! The cover letter is your opportunity to paint yourself in bright, eye-catching colors — as someone who would bring personality and flair to a position, or true problem solving or negotiating skills, or, at the very least, some passion.
How do you do that? Tell a story that shows them who you are.
If I were writing a cover letter, for instance, I might talk about how I won the trust of a contract manager who had been ready to pull a contract from my organization. One of my clients wrote about how he successfully negotiated a conflict at work and obtained payment from a customer who was refusing to pay. Another wrote about his quest for the perfect problem to solve.
These stories will catch an employer’s eye and paint a picture of a real person, with experience and attributes that reach beyond a list of resume bullets.
Take My Advice!
I’d like to share with you the following letter, which I received from a student at the University of Wisconsin:
Thanks for our talk earlier today. I appreciated your straightforward honesty. I felt like a naive kid who was suddenly given a cover letter awakening.
Now, I took your advice withOUT a grain of salt. I took it straight and changed most everything. I am ashamed to call the last documents I sent you “cover letters.” I wouldn’t have wanted to interview me. Sad. In these new cover letters, every sentence gives information that cannot be quite gathered from my resume. I really tried to pour some personality and passion into these and keep the reader’s attention. I can actually be proud of these letters.
This student says it well. Give them new information, NOT a regurgitation of your resume. Pour in some personality (purple?), passion (red?) Throw in some anecdotes (green?) And you too will be able to say you are proud of your cover letters.
You’ll be a lot more likely to get that interview, where you really get to show them who you are.
Want help with your cover letters? Go to The Essay Expert’s Cover Letter Services
Some job seekers still treat cover letters as throw-aways. In a competitive market, that strategy doesn’t work! Put some effort into your cover letters and get yourself noticed! For assistance from The Essay Expert, go to our Resume and Cover Letter Services page and click on the Cover Letters package. For the NYT article, Click Here.
