5 Effective Cover Letter Tips
I wrote literally thousands of cover letters for people over the last ten years. Here are five things I learned (and a free cover letter template).
Don’t Freak Out
Really. Listen to some music and stretch a bit. Cover letters are easier than you think.
All a cover letter does is get someone to read your resume, while opening the door for further communication. That’s it.
So: Relax. Here’s my cover letter template if you want something to work from. It’s an outline of my ideal cover letter format, down to the sentence, and you can do pretty much whatever you like with it.
Having a template to work from will help you get more out of these next four tips.
Credit: Beverly Goodwin, CC BY
Do Your Homework
You don’t need to know who likes crackers in their soup, but you need to know what your new employers do, and how, and for whom. A little operational knowledge fits the cover letter to the job. Use this information to highlight relevant aspects of your background:
- Bullet points are ideal.
- Summarize your experience.
- List relevant skills.
A one-sentence chaser framing this experience as ideal preparation for the job is a good idea. Grab their attention with keywords, then earn further interest by explaining how you’re a good fit.
Don’t Waste Words
The main insight to writing effective cover letters is how little attention people have to spare. The best thing you can do, tactically and tactfully, is get to the point. “I’m here for this job. I have this experience. I’ve done my homework and know we’d fit. My resume’s worth a look.”
Remember, your friendly neighborhood HR rep has no time for this. Straight out, establish that you want the job the employer wants to fill. Mention the exact title of the position you’re after, the internal one if possible, and how you heard they were looking for you.
If you have a connection within the company, discuss applying with them before you write your cover letter. Drop their name within the first three sentences, everything that follows is instantly more relevant.
Reference Your Resume
Credit: Neil, CC BY NC ND
The whole point of a cover letter is earning a look at your resume.
Referring to your resume in your cover letter is a subtle call to action, offering the reader a choice: “You’re holding my resume. Would you like to read it?” Even pointing out that it’s attached is sufficient, or citing it while summarizing applicable skills.
Encourage Further Communication
Your last few sentences should encourage follow up communication. Express interest in an interview to learn more about the position, or even offer to schedule one within a specific time frame. It’s not out of line to state a reasonable interval after which you will follow up, for yourself, and not impossible to schedule your own job interview in the process.
I’ve had some success by asking if the addressee had ten minutes on Wednesday afternoon (for example) to answer a few questions, then turning the conversation into a job interview.
Your mileage may vary, but it’s worth a shot.
Credit: Nguyen Hung Vu, CC BY 20
Here’s the cover letter template I used to generate thousands of effective cover letters for clients over the last ten years. I’m handing it out under a Creative Commons license: Use it, sell it, hang it on the wall, just credit NewYorkJobs with a link wherever you do.
Featured Image Credit: Startup Stock Photos, CC Zero
