A resume can highlight your work experience and educational background but not your personality and passion for the particular job role. Hence, a cover letter is required to fulfill the same purpose as an introduction to your resume. Several applicants with solid resumes get rejected by employers for the sole reason that it lacked a cover letter.
We’re sure you don’t want to be amongst them.
Gone are the days when you would blatantly send out your resume to multiple companies and land up with an interview. The competition is getting harsh and steeper, and you surely want to stand out to get your “DREAM” job. How about backing up your resume with a compelling cover letter? We’ll tell you exactly HOW!
Before you even start writing, do a detailed research about the company in order to understand their niche, requirements and expectations. Make rough bullets points about how you can build a strong connection with the company with your desirable skills. Focus on finding similarities that will help you stand out and make the company take a special interest in you. Your purpose is to give them a reason as to WHY you are the perfect fit.
Draft a letter which reflects a professional approach in a concise way. Your goal should be to assemble your key skills, enthusiasm for the company and unique personality in a minimal form. A cover letter should be short, crisp and less elaborate. The idea is to highlight your areas of expertise directly without getting into details.
Once you’ve figured out the purpose and the length of the template, get yourself in sync with the voice of the brand. Understand the tone that would be required for the company and then approach them similarly through your cover letter. Make a conversational (friendly) approach and reflect the personality of a problem solver. Be as approachable as you can to express your desire to work.
To begin with, get your basic details regarding the contact information of the employer right. It’s critical to pay attention to these small details as it can make or break your opportunities. Address them with appropriate greetings and double-check the employer’s name and contact details for ZERO errors. Ensure that the information is correct and complete with no chance of error.
Suggested Read: Here’s The Perfect Guide On How You Should Prep – Up Both, Before And After Your Job Interview
Here’s your DIRECT chance to convince them that you’re different from the other candidates without any doubt. Focus on how this company reflects an ideal work environment and culture you would want to be part of. Elaborate in a concise way how you will fit in perfectly like a piece of a puzzle.
The most essential part of the cover letter is where you highlight your outstanding professional experiences and top skills. You can skip your educational qualifications and data already mentioned in your resume. This space is more about representing your personality to match the job profile you are applying for.
Increase your chances by signing off with a clear pitch regarding your passion and enthusiasm about the specific “Job Profile”. Make sure you’ve covered every point as the conclusion should leave them in no doubt.
You’re almost done. Remember to close in with a reason for them to revert to you. Consider it as your final pitch to impress the employer. Be very genuine in your approach, you can pick from one of these examples such as “I would love to hear back from you”, or “waiting for your reply” or “looking forward to your reply”.
Don’t forget to PROOFREAD your letter before sending it. All the best!