A cover letter if written ingeniously can help you stand out from the crowd of job applicants. It is one of the most vital job seeking documents that can get your foot in the door even if you don’t have a strong work history or well-written resume to convince the hiring manager. Job cover letter is also known as interviewer’s first introduction to who you are, what professional skills you own and why you are the best match for the vacant position.
Writing a winning job cover letter can be a little bit tricky task for you especially if it is your first time. However, following secrets for writing compelling job cover letter can help you make sure that your letter is in convincing and amazing shape.
Provide More Details to Impress
Instead of inserting the same details in the cover letter that you already have mentioned in the resume, use it to demonstrate your personality, curiosity, and most importantly interest in the post/position you are applying for. Also, try to write most important details and information in the letter that you were not able to add in the resume.
Sell Yourself
After adding job description in the letter, innovatively describe how your professional skills, qualifications, personal traits, and job experience will allow you to fulfill the requirements and needs of the company. In order to make a cover letter appealing, try to use keywords and phrases mentioned in the job description. Also, tell the hiring manager or employer in your letter that how you can fit into the business setting and help move the business or company ahead to chase its goals effectively.
Let them Know what you Can Do
Adding work history and professional skills in the job cover letter is a great thing but you can make your letter more appealing by telling the recruiters that what you can do for the positive growth of company/business. Simply pick the key requirements of the job or position from job description and make it clear to the employer or hiring manager that how creatively you can use your skills to meet the requirements. Let them clearly know that what you are able to deliver in the role for which applying you are.
Showcase Your Skills
It’s all about making it clear that how well you meet the job requirements. Instead of showing your accomplishments in the past work experience, focus on your skills and convince on what skills you own and how you can utilize them to carry out the responsibilities under the job title.
Don’t Apologize for Things You Don’t Own
If you have expertise, skills and qualification that are enough to get your feet into the door, there is no need to apologize for things you don’t own. If you are doing so, you are grabbing the attention of employer or hiring manager to your weaknesses. Always think positive and clearly mention your skills required to land the job.
Make it ‘To Whom it May Concern
If you are not sure about the contact person name while writing a job cover letter, then simply make it a ‘to whom it may concern’ letter or use ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ as greeting line. Never ever address anybody in the letter if you really don’t know who you should be addressing in the letter writing you are.
Keep it Short
You are writing a letter to impress the potential employer or hiring manager with your skills and expertise to get hired, not an essay of more than 1000 words to fill up the more pages. So, keep your job cover letter short with the most important and inspiring details and information. Don’t try to write more but remember to add something juicy in it to induce the reader read it till the end.
Close it Strongly
Ending lines of the job cover letter are also most important just like its opening paragraphs. In simple words, it is vital to close your letter strong if you really want to stand out from the crowd. Show your keen interest in the job or position and also tell them that you are available anytime to talk about the opportunity. Aside from the nature of job and requirements mentioned by the hiring concerns, you need to give compelling reasons in the job cover letter that why this is exactly the position you’re looking for and how you will be able to meet the needs by utilizing your creative skills and knowledge. Also remember to add your contact details like phone number, email address and skype ID etc to make future communication easier and prompt.