Have you built your skills and experience to apply for your dream job? We know you are super enthusiastic to take the next step. Since the deadlines for the applications are approaching, you must update your resume and even the outfit ready. What’s next? You sit to write your cover letter, and your hands freeze over the keyboard. We understand that you are desperate to make an excellent first impression on the hiring manager and want your application to reach the top.
Candidates have different questions in their mind regarding the cover letter, like- whether the letter is formal or quirky and the type of information to include in it. Therefore, in the post, we will explore the effective tips and techniques candidates should follow for writing a cover letter that helps them achieve their dream job.
Purpose of a Cover Letter
Are you wondering the purpose of a cover letter? It fills the gaps in your resume, offering hiring managers an insight into your professional background. According to a recent survey, around 68% of hiring managers decide the importance of interviewing the candidates after viewing the cover letters.
Your cover letter serves the following purposes.
Narrates your story
It’s an opportunity to introduce yourself and your story before your first interview. Before you get the chance to exhibit your qualifications for the job and explain what makes you a good fit, your employer gets to know your current position. Controlling the message of your employment history stands as one of the primary purposes of the cover letter. Through the application, you gain an opportunity to define your brand and demonstrate the core values you bring to the organization.
Builds relationship with the employer
Building relationships is essential to getting a job that aligns with your career growth, and the same applies to writing a cover letter. Through the cover letter, you highlight your accomplishments that have high value in your professional career. It highlights what brings meaning to you and you in the workplace. Are you starting your career? Explain how your skills apply to your perspective role. The letter must contain if you have any transferable skills you developed in your school, at a job, or even during volunteer work.
Relationship with your referral
You might be in a position where you leveraged networking to help you get your job. It might be that you were a part of an informational interview or know someone working there. Irrespective of who referred you, your cover letter explains how you met your referral and what inspired you to apply.
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Characteristics of a Persuasive Cover Letter
Are you wondering if you wrote an excellent cover letter? Look for the essential qualities in your cover letter. If they share the following qualities, you are ready to go.
Friendly and Confident
Imagine you are walking into a room and greeting your interviewer in person. You are ready to demonstrate you love yourself, you are aware of what you want, know who you are, well adjusted, confident, and trustworthy. How do you convey these traits? Yes, you guessed that right, through eye contact, smile, and reaching out for a handshake. Your cover letter sends the same message within the first few lines. Instead of being awkward and apologetic, state the name of the position you want and you came across the same in a friendly tone.
Enlightens without Confusing
Effective writing is simple and easy to understand. After finishing the first draft of the cover letter, go back and check each sentence to see if it makes sense, contains a subject and an object, and stays relevant to the overall message. Often, in the eagerness to impress the employer, you might make serious grammatical mistakes, and clarity falls through the cracks or remains buried under buzzwords.
Wraps Up on Time
Excellent cover letters present a complete and compelling message in a short space. The ideal word count is approximately 300 words or a single page. Ensure that the cover letter contains the key points of your candidacy, offering your recruiting manager everything they need to make an informed decision.
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Tips for Writing a Persuasive Cover Letter
Your resume’s cover letter articulates your motivation and qualifications for the job position. Ensure to read the job description carefully. When you design your cover letter, use examples from your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills, knowledge, and interest. Ensure that your cover letter is clear, concise, and well-organized.
Enlisted are a few tips you must follow while drafting your cover letter.
Understand your audience
Are you about to start writing your cover letter? If yes, please pause and conduct thorough research about the organization to which you are applying. It will help you a brief about their mission, vision, goals, and values and determine how well they relate with yours. Understand the critical skills, qualifications, and achievements they are considering in their ideal candidate and how you match with them.
Try to make the document personalized, as it creates a better impression. Often, the job postings contain the recipient’s details. If not, please check the company’s name “team” page on their website. Instead of using generic phrases like “Dear Sir/Madam,” try to mention the organization’s name, address, and the recipient’s name in your salutation.
Be unique
Hiring managers read several cover letters before choosing the best candidate for the interview. The best way to capture their attention is to be a little unique. How? Phrase your sentences in exciting ways. Avoid the common figures of speech or clichés throughout the cover letter. If your cover letter is novel, your hiring manager is likely to remember you as a candidate.
Highlight your values and personality
Your cover letter shows how you can add value to the organization and help solve their problems. Ensure that you are not repeating anything that you already mentioned in your resume. Instead, focus on the specific examples and accomplishments that demonstrate your relevant skills and abilities. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) method to structure your stories and quantify your results with percentages, numbers, and other metrics. Explain how your previous experience and experiences helped in your development for the role you are applying for and how you contribute to the organization’s success.
Besides, explain your passion, enthusiasm, and interest in the organization, along with the reasons to work for them. Mention something specific that you liked or admire about the organization, including its services, products, values, or social impact. Your cover letter must highlight that you did your homework and your genuine interest in being a part of the team.
Show you are eager for the opportunity
When you express your interest in a job, you make a favorable impression. When you show that you are passionate about the work you do, a hiring manager has more interest in knowing more about you. While drafting your cover letter, express your excitement for the position.
Call to action
The final paragraph of your cover letter must summarize the main points, restating your value proposition. It must also include a clear and confident call to action, which is a request to proceed to the next step in the hiring process. It could be asking for an interview, a telephone conversation, or a follow-up email. Never forget to thank your recipient for their time and consideration, and express your eagerness to her for them soon. Do not forget to conclude your letter professionally and courteously. You can use words like best regards, sincerely, or yours faithfully followed by your signature.
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Proofreading and editing
Before sending your cover letter, ensure to proofread and edit it carefully. Read again to check the spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. While typing, ensure to use a consistent and readable font and style. Typing errors, inconsistencies, and other mistakes undermine your credibility and professionalism. After editing, read your cover letter aloud or ask your friend or someone in your family to review it for clarity, coherence, and tone. Ensure that your cover letter is concise, relevant, and customized to the specific job and organization to which you are applying.
Conclusion
In today’s competitive landscape, you might feel defeated or give up your job search. Do not let the process be monotonous; instead, experience the joy of job hunting through your creative cover letter. Your cover letter must show the hiring team of your dream organization that you have an interest in the position. If you are starting to build your career and do not know how to write the best cover letter, you can follow the above tips.
