How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter – 19 Essential Tips
- Post Written by John Kairupan on November 7, 2009
Photo courtesy of Jonno Witts
The following is a guest post written by John Kairupan. John is a success coach who helps others discover their passion and find the right job or career suitable for them.
If you fail to ignore any of these tips for writing your cover letter you may very well not get that perfect job you have been waiting for.
In my last blog post – 10 Must Know Resume Tips To Secure Your Dream Job I talked about resumes and the essential tips that will enhance your resume for your potential employer. Well, I also mentioned that you should accompany a cover letter along with your resume. The difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview is very often the cover letter. It has been said that even the resume makes the second impression behind the cover letter.
So you don’t write well, is that it? Having to write a letter is bad enough, but to write a letter about ourselves may seem like an impossible task. Well, there is only one solution to this problem. You have to change. You must learn to write a powerful letter to communicate critical messages to your employer prospects. You must convey excellence, energy and enthusiasm in your cover letter.
As a start here are 19 tips on creating the perfect cover letter to secure the job you want:
1. You won’t be focusing on yourself; but rather you will be focusing on the contributions you can make and the value you can bring to the organization.
2. The cover letter must address and meet the important needs of the prospective employer in a professional and entertaining manner.
3. There can be no spelling, typographical, or grammatical errors in the document. It must be well organized and professionally presented consistently with the industry or organization you are approaching.
4. Be sure that when you write you convey a degree of passion, excitement, and emotion. So, Write when you are feeling energetic and enthusiastic – a lifeless letter reflects a lifeless person.
5. You need to be able to package yourself for that first dynamic introduction. State in your cover letter that you are looking forward to meeting them in person – usually at the end of the letter.
6. You must communicate the level of integrity, confidence, competence, and trustworthiness that top employers seek. Use Strong powerful descriptive words.
7. Get a team together, say two to five successful people who will become your guardian angels. They will act as a support group, and a sounding board, not only in reviewing and revising your cover letter but in the entire job search and career design process. This team can be made of friends, family members, teachers, and former supervisors – basically anyone who brings strength, confidence and career management expertise to the process.
8. Personalize and customize each letter to score a direct hit on the prospective employer’s hot buttons.
9. Place yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and ask you self, “What would I want if I were the hiring person for this position?” So write with the reader in mind.
10. Select your words carefully, and be sure there is an air of warmth and sentiment in your writing. So build rapport with the reader.
11. Show the prospective employers what they want to see – your job is to match your skills and qualifications with them.
12. Be original and refreshing and be careful not to repeat what you already wrote in your resume.
13. Be sharp, be brief, and make sure your letter is scannable – not everyone will read it word for word . Get to the point and unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise, keep the letter to one page in length.
14. Consider using a professional to help you write your letter and/ or resume, especially if you are in a rut or have a big opportunity coming up. This could be pricey but the payoff may be a new position and higher salary; it could prove to be a good investment.
15. Be different and distinctive, but don’t be cute! A strong, creative and a high impact opening will go a long way in getting you noticed.
16. As mentioned in #13 make your letter is short, clear and concise. Be empathic; 300-500 words should suffice. .
17. Finally, the letter must reflect professionalism. Use professional quality paper with some color but not flashy. Again, the letter must be grammatically perfect.
In my experience I found that the difference between success and failure often lies in the tiny details. I hope that these tips will give you some guidance while you are in the midst of searching for a new opportunity. Once you understand the importance of writing strong letters, you’ll start to embrace and enjoy the art of creating your personalize messages.
Hey,
I’d like to reinforce one idea you mentioned here: writing a short and concise cover letter. I think the cover letter is not by far your main selling point, but rather an explanation of your intentions. Your CV is your main selling document, so I think the focus should be on this.
Eduard
Hi Eduard
Your point is well taken but what you may want to convey in the cover letter additional information on your strength so that the prospective employer will read your resume with more interest.
Thanks,
John
I like it John…good job and excellent points about writing cover letters.
Cover letters are important and are always required for high positions.
awesome