In today’s job search market, a lot of time and energy is spent on crafting the ideal resume and preparing for those tough interview questions. But there’s one item that often goes undervalued, and that’s the cover letter.
Your cover letter is often the first opportunity you’ll get to present yourself to an employer and explain why you’re the best candidate for the job.
A great cover letter can entice employers to dive deeper into your resume, while a generic cover letter — or worse yet, none at all — could remove you from the hiring process before it’s even started.
While a resume lists your skills, education and qualifications in black and white, a cover letter dives more into the grey area about why you’d be the ideal person for the position. This is where you can underscore why you’re the best fit and explain why you’re the right person for the job.
A cover letter is where you especially want to emphasize any particular skills, qualifications, education or training that would give you a leg up on your competition. Hone in on the most valuable aspects of your resume and front-load them at the front of your cover letter.
Including this information within the first two paragraphs will highly increase the chances of intriguing the hiring manager. That’s what this entire exercise is all about; whetting the appetite of someone to get to know you a little further.
Cover letters shouldn’t be more than one page, and in most instances, all it takes is three or four paragraphs to get your sales pitch across. Along with a summary of your experience and qualifications, this is your opportunity to explain why you’re interested in this job.
Explain in a few sentences why you’re applying for the position and what aspects about the company or business that you’re interested in. This shows you’ve done some research and have a desire to join their team.
Instead of using a blanket cover letter for all job positions, it’s best to tailor your cover letter to each individual job posting. This can be a tedious process, but a stock “to whom it may concern” cover letter shows employers that you’re not willing to put in the work just to apply for the job.
This is also the time to feel free to “brag” about your qualifications. Keep in mind that you’re in competition for a position here, so don’t be afraid to boast a bit about your qualifications. Be careful not to go to too overboard, though.
Be confident, be bold, be brave with your cover letter, and it could land you that dream job you’ve always wanted.
If you need help crafting a new cover letter or tailoring a cover letter for a new job position, an Agilec job coach can put you on the right path.
Connect with Agilec in Orillia today at Agilec.ca or call their office at 705-325-1203.