Cover letters: They can be a mind-numbing task for even the most skilled of writers. Writing a perfectly tailored cover letter for each individual job listing you apply to can feel like a trip to the dentist. However, letting yourself get overwhelmed by a cover letter can only lengthen your job search.
Instead of giving up altogether, it might be time to try out some new techniques.
Let’s go over a few ways you can write a cover letter that both you enjoy writing, and your future employer will enjoy reading. With these tips, you’ll have writing cover letters down to a science.
Tip #1: Make it more than your resume.
Your resume is a great way for employers to see an exact measure of your experience in your respective industry. Therefore, your cover letter should not tell them everything they’ve already gathered from your resume.
Instead, provide helpful, interesting insight about your actual experience within a professional setting. You can include statistics, analytics, and any additional experiential details that bring meaning to what is included on your resume.
Use your cover letter to delve into stories that showcase how you’ve excelled within your workspace in the past. Talk about challenges you’ve faced, how you were able to overcome them, and how your workspace and employers benefitted from your triumph.
Tip #2: Skills are greater than education.
While showcasing your education on your resume is always a smart move, it’s what you’ve learned in your experience as a professional that should take forefront focus in your cover letter.
Showcasing your specific skills will show any employer that you have the knowledge to get the job done over your academic degree. When it comes down to it, employers are going to want employees that can apply the desired set of skills over an advanced look at your educational history.
Tip #3: Highlight your strengths, not your weaknesses.
Is your experience somewhat lacking in a few areas employers are looking for? Instead of apologizing for your shortcomings, win employers over by highlighting all of your strengths.
Turn the focus of employers away from your weaknesses by delving into a few anecdotes about your best moments as an employee. Staying positive will put the right image into those looking to hire you.
Tip #4: Stray away from complicated formats and verbiage.
Trying to impress your employers with fancy fluff words will only get in the way of the case you’re trying to make for yourself.
Instead of loading your cover letter up with a dictionary of phrases, try presenting a real, accurate account of yourself as a professional. Employers will appreciate your authenticity, and be able to better understand who you are – allowing them to envision a place for you at their company.
There you have it! 4 tips to take your cover letter from drab to delightful. Try these tips on for size the next time you take on the task of writing a cover letter and see just how easy it can be.