You picked out your professional resume template, filled in all you wanted to and are ready to start applying?
Wait! Before you do that, have you considered attaching a Cover Letter along with your resume?
A Cover Letter is an excellent opportunity for job seekers to get a leg up over the competition with barely any effort.
In this article we will dive deep into ‘What makes a successful Cover Letter?’ we will also touch upon ‘Why you should make a Cover Letter”. If you follow these instructions we’re sure you’ll have a Cover Letter, that’ll blow the socks off any recruiter, in no time.
Why should you make a Cover Letter?
As we’ve mentioned before, a Cover Letter is an excellent opportunity for job seekers to impress the recruiters before they even get a chance to read the resume.
How does a Cover letter do that exactly?
HR Managers are swamped with numerous resumes cluttering their desks and they don’t want to waste time reading through all of them, one by one. So, it comes as no surprise that when they see a cover letter, they’re already rooting for that candidate. A well-crafted Cover letter will contain all the information a hiring manager may require to make a decision. So, a cover letter not only increases your chances for success but also gains bias from the HR Manager and that is the main reason for making a Cover Letter.
Before we go into the details of how to write a successful Cover Letter, you need to get yourself a Cover Letter Template that matches your Professional Resume Template. Don’t have one? Don’t worry. Visit My Resume Lift to get yourself a Professional Resume template and matching Cover Letter Template, of your choosing. Additionally Check out the Resume and Cover Letter Builder to build targeted Resumes and Cover Letters within minutes, without breaking a sweat.
Alright now that the basics are out of the way let’s begin.
What makes a successful Cover Letter?
1. They set a familiar yet professional tone
The beginning of your Cover Letter sets the tone for the entire thing. Your greeting should be friendly yet professional. It shouldn’t be completely nonchalant, nor should it be wooden and robotic. You want the HR Manager to like you so address them by their name and show excitement in your initial statements about the job opportunity.
2. They stick to the point and don’t divert much
You could be the coolest guy on planet earth but listing all the reasons why you are cool is not going to make a successful Cover letter.
In no way are we saying that you shouldn’t show off your personality. On the contrary, showing a bit of personality is a good thing. It gives the Hiring Manager an idea of what to expect when they hire you. That being said this in no way means going overboard with narcissistic rants about yourself and how great you are. Give a glimpse of your persona and get back on topic which is the job and how you are capable of doing it and what else can you bring to the company?
3. Clear, Concise and Understandable
One trait all professional Cover Letters share is their attention to detail and understandability. When writing your cover letter make sure your writing is fluid and understandable. Make sure to check for semantic and syntactic mistakes and fix them accordingly. After reading through your Cover Letter ask yourself “Does this sound professional?”. That answer alone should give you an indication of whether you’re headed in the right direction.
4. They focus on the right thing
One way of making a successful Cover Letter is to ask yourself questions like “How will I fulfill the duties of the job, when hired?”, “Why do I want this job?” and “What else can I bring to the table?”. You’ll see that answering these questions will give you the meat of the Cover Letter already and is the thing recruiters are most eager to read through.
5. They’re not too long
A cover letter is not a letter to a friend or family member. Even though we said that the tone should be friendly yet professional, by no means it change the fact that this is a professional conversion. Additionally, keep it concise and to the point, the rule of thumb is to keep it under 300 words. Moreover, This is where your creativity should shine through using the space available to you to create the best case possible for yourself and why you’re the best fit for their company.
For more about how to choose a Cover letter template to visit My Resume Lift. My Resume Lift is your one-stop-shop for all your resume-building needs. Choose your professional Resume Template, answer a few questions and you’ll have your perfect resume ready within minutes. Find a Professional Resume Template that you like and find a matching Cover Letter Template in our Resume and Cover Letter builder. Happy Job hunting.
