Highlight the right things.
The vast majority of your cover letter should be focused on highlighting your experiences that relate to the specific role you are applying for. “Use the job description as a guideline for the functional “hot buttons” the company is looking for in a new hire” (Patrick Senn, CFS Minneapolis).
Engage the reader.
Cover letters are a place to showcase your knowledge, background, and skills. “You should include specific, tangible examples where you have saved time, money or generated revenue; make sure those examples tie in with one or more of the responsibilities listed in the job description as well” (Dale Fredericksen, CFS Oak Brook).
In addition, cover letters can be a way to show hiring managers who you are as a person. Feel free to include hobbies, volunteer opportunities or experiences that have shaped you as a person and explain how these experiences relate to the job you’re applying for.
Tell a story.
Hiring managers receive hundreds of cover letters each day. In order to make your application stand out, you need to grab the reader’s attention within the first few seconds. Sharing a story is a creative way to do so. After all, you have a limited amount of time to “wow” the hiring manager; a story can bring your experiences to life and will make your application memorable.
Customize it.
You want to tailor your cover letter. Tailor it to the organization and to the individual who will be reading it. “A one size fits all approach does not apply when it comes to writing a cover letter” (Senn, CFS Minneapolis). Companies want to see that you are truly excited about the position and about their company; they want to know that you took the extra time to personalize your letter.
Last but not least, proofread!
Have someone you trust read over your cover letter before submitting it. You want to ensure that it is error free and formatted properly. After all, grammatical errors and typos can hinder your chances of being selected for an interview.
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