Creating the Perfect Cover Letter

The cover letter to your resume is the first impression a potential employer is going to get of you. When you’re searching for a job, keeping your cover letter as an afterthought can be a big mistake; it very well could be the difference between an employer reading your resume and hiring you, or your resume is placed at the back of the stack.

When crafting your cover letter, it’s important that you think of how you can exude knowledge and passion while ensuring that yours will stand out amongst your competitors. Below, we’ve listed some tips to help make sure you’re creating the perfect cover letter to accompany your resume.

Know Your Audience

You might have heard to write your resume for your audience; well, the same guideline applies when it comes to writing your cover letter. Your cover letter should speak to what your audience is interested in. Consider what you know about their company culture, any problems they are looking to solve, and what they stated in their job posting that they are looking for. This is not the place to be vague or to generalize your intro - be specific and personable.

Know Your Competition

The job market, especially in certain career paths, is extremely competitive - perhaps now more than ever. Employers are looking for the best among the best, so when it comes to your cover letter it’s important to know who you’re up against and write your cover letter strategically enough to ensure you stand out among the rest. Familiarize yourself with the experience and knowledge other candidates in your field tend to have before you write your letter, then when you do you can highlight the skills that put you ahead of the competition.

Be Concise

The trick with cover letters is clearly depicting who you are and what you can do for your potential employer, while also being direct and to the point; you don’t want your cover letter to be too wordy or it may not get read, or your point may get lost amongst everything else. To ensure you don’t overload the person reviewing your resume, pick 3-5 things to briefly (no paragraphs!) mention about yourself professionally and 1 personal note to include. Leave them wanting to know more!

Edit and Proofread

There’s nothing more embarrassing than putting hard work into sculpting your resume only to realize it has a glaring spelling or grammar error on the cover letter. This can be especially off-putting to the person reviewing your resume. Mistakes can be a predicate to sloppiness in an employer’s eyes, even if it’s not indicative of your true work ethic. Take the time to proofread your cover letter and resume before sending it out; if possible, run it through a spell check and ask a friend or relative to screen for mistakes as well.

Use a Good Layout

The layout of your cover letter should cover all the necessary bases in a clear and direct manner. Here’s an example of a layout you can use:

• 1. Address the cover letter to the company or person who will be reviewing it or interviewing you potentially.
• 2. Intro - Use a few sentences in your opening paragraph to describe who you are, what position you are applying for, and why you think you’re the candidate they’re seeking.
• 3. Body - Use the main portion of your cover letter to list skills and knowledge you have relevant to the job you are applying for; bullet points are an eye-catching and simple way to get your point across here.
• 4. Closing -Thank the employer for their time and let them know you are available to provide any further information they need.
• 5. Sign your name and provide a contact number and email address.