First, take a deep breath and recognize you’re not alone. No, I don’t mean me. I mean your competition. For most job openings, you will be among dozens, hundreds, even thousands submitting resumes. It’s amazing how many people forget this crucial tidbit of information.
This begs the question, how important is a cover letter? Many hiring managers today will tell you that they’re not very important. Others will tell you they’re crucial.
Let’s put it this way; assuming you pass the resume screening stage and are among the pile of ‘maybes’ that might be called for an interview, it’s likely you don’t stand out from the crowd. Yet. If your resume didn’t get you hired right off or at least called in for an interview (making the cover letter redundant), then the letter is your last chance to differentiate yourself from that pile of… well, you know.
So, what should you do to stand out?
(Some don’ts and dos)
- Don’t overwrite. Keep it brief (if you’re on page two… retreat, retreat, retreat.), dense (make every word work for you), and laser focused (write for the job).
- Don’t summarize the resume; they already looked at it. Expand on key areas and/or accomplishments, especially if they relate to the position you’re applying for.
- Don’t sell yourself only—sell your fit in the employer’s company. Show them the benefit they’ll gain by hiring you, such as problems you can solve, solutions you can offer, and so on.
- Do demonstrate you’ve made an informed decision to apply there. Don’t let them think you’re applying to twenty other companies (even if you are). Tailor the letter to each position/employer.
- Do express confidence, but not arrogance, passion but not desperation, ambition but not fanaticism. They have to imagine you around the water cooler, at a meeting, on a sales pitch, etc. What kind of coworker/employee will you be?
- Do not submit a first draft. Edit, review, rewrite. Edit again. Errors here mean errors in your work later, so… no thanks.
The letter:
This is a very basic outline. Remember, every cover letter will be unique to the position, the company, your role, and so on.
- Greeting: Don’t overthink this. If you know the recipient’s name, use it. Otherwise follow the standard Dear Sir/Madam, To Whom It May Concern, etc.
- Introduction: Get to the point quickly. If you can start with a hook, do so, but don’t force it (a hook can be an achievement, an understanding of a project they are working on, a problem down the road, changes to the industry you’re prepared for, a solution you can offer, etc.)
- Body paragraph 1: background—why/how you have what they need. This paragraph focuses on you and what you bring to the table. Be careful not to make it all about you (me, me, me), but rather you as a potential part of them. What is their benefit to having you?
- Body paragraph 2: Show the company you are a good fit for their needs. Show them you know who they are, what they need, and how you fit into their plans going forward.
- Call-to-action: Leave an opportunity for further communication (availability for a meeting/interview, open to further questions or correspondence, etc.)
- Closing, sign-off: Thank them for reading, or let them know you’re looking forward to their positive reply, etc. When in doubt, close with Best regards,
Final note: This letter may be the difference-maker in your job search. Only the effort you put into it will determine your success.
