How to Create a High Impact Cover Letter

Cover Letter Essentials, Resume, Cv

When it comes to applying for a job, writing a cover letter can make a big difference. Your cover letter is a marketing pitch for your professional services, and if it doesn’t sell yourself as a desirable candidate, you could be leaving the door open for someone to beat you out for a job. Here are five tips to help you create a high-impact cover letter.

1. Don’t use a generic cover letter

Hiring managers often admit that one of the biggest mistakes that job searchers make is using a generic cover letter. Don’t write a single cover letter and swap out the name of companies. Recruiters can spot the difference between a cover letter that was specifically written to them and one that was written to the masses. Customizing what you’re going to say to each individual can improve your chances of catching the eye of any hiring manager.

2. Find a direct contact

Many cover letters seldom get read and the ones that are usually read only get attention for about 6 seconds. This is because recruiters have to go through hundreds of cover letters for each position and this task can be quite daunting. You can make your cover letter stand out and connect emotionally to the reader by using the name of the internal recruiter, HR person or hiring manager. Conducting a search on LinkedIn, Google, or the company’s website should do the trick. Alternatively, you can call/email the company to determine who is hiring and what name to address the cover letter to.

3. Get the recruiter hooked

Now that you’re a step ahead of other job seekers, you can leverage on the previous tip by nailing the leading paragraph. You only have a few seconds to capture the hiring manager’s interest so that he/she reads your cover letter to the end, so write something memorable and thoughtful. For example, rather than write, “I am writing to apply for the Communications Manager position,” consider using a strong intro like:

“I believe that my experience in securing international media coverage for high-profile clients makes me the perfect match for the Communications Manager position.”

This type of statement explains the unique skill that you bring to the company and will differentiate you from other candidates.

4. Explain what you will deliver

The next step is to explain the impact you have had on the companies you’ve worked for in the past. This can be achieved by offering some quantitative figures. Recruiters love to see stats as it helps them understand the impact that you had on that task or activity. The best way to demonstrate what you can do for their company is to quantify past achievements and show them how you can help solve future organizational problems.

5. Avoid clichés

At all costs, avoid describing yourself as a “team player,” “result-oriented” or a “people-person.” These clichés are often overused and not only underplay your unique attributes but can quickly bore hiring managers. Use your cover letter to get the attention of the reader and address their needs without using clichés.

Wrap-up

Your cover letter should not just be another version of your resume. Instead, it should be succinct and focused on the reader’s needs. Don’t lose out on an amazing job opportunity by negating some of the important cover letter writing tips above.

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