A cover letter is more than just a piece of writing, it is the opportunity you have to convince the hiring manager that you are a person of value who will be a great asset to their company. A well-written cover letter is a great way to sell yourself to the hiring manager.
What exactly is a cover letter?
A cover letter (alongside your CV or resume) is a one-page document that is usually attached to your job application. Its goal is to give a concise introduction and rundown of your professional history.
A strong cover letter can pique the interest of the HR manager and persuade them to review your resume.
On the other hand, a poor cover letter can result in your application being shredded without even being read. Therefore, mastering the craft of writing an effective cover letter is crucial to preventing this from happening.
Here are tips for making your Cover letter stand out
1. Make it concise and short
Your cover letter should be between 250 and 400 words in length on average and, this is because;
It saves time: A hiring manager can read a brief cover letter in less time, which increases the likelihood that they will read it over a long cover letter from another applicant.
It makes your application stand out. A company that receives a lot of applications for a listed job vacancy may favour a shorter document because a short cover letter stands out more than longer cover letters.
It captures your reader’s attention: A brief cover letter that rapidly captures the reader’s attention demonstrates your ability to succinctly emphasize your qualifications while still providing information that hiring managers can use to prepare for a potential interview.
2. Work on the header
Most of the time, there have been cases where candidates casually greeted the hiring manager on their header. Slangs such as hey, hi, hello dear, and what’s up? should be totally avoided. Keep it as formal as possible. It is best practice to address the recipient by their last name, for example, Dear Dr. Johnson, Dear Professor Agah, or, where the name of the hiring manager is unknown, Dear hiring manager.
Always remember that this is a one-way ticket to showing who you are and what values you can bring on board; you’ll however be doing yourself a lot of disfavour if the hiring manager has to discard your letter at first glance because you used a rather inappropriate header.
3. Grab the reader’s attention with the first 2–3 lines of your letter.
Let the first two lines hook the hiring manager into reading your application till the end.
When the first few lines of your application appear boring, you’ll be surprised to know that the probability of the letter and your entire application ending up in the trash is high. In view of this, let the first few lines of your letter be as strong as your entire application.
4. Do your thorough research
A lot of candidates are too lazy to do their due diligence about the prospective company of their choice, and as such, they send generic cover letters for all the companies and applications they’re working with. Note that the hiring managers have been in this business for some time, and when they see a candidate who has gone out of his way to do thorough research, they know it.
5. Get familiar with the company, It is not enough to just want to get a job; what distinguishes you from every other person is the ability to stand out and not blend in. Analyze the problems you think the company would want the candidate to solve and show them what you intend to do in order to combat that problem. Show them you’re a person of value and you’re coming on board to add more value to their company.
6. Thank the hiring manager for taking the time to read your application and conclude like a boss.
Note; Keep in mind that a cover letter is an addition to your resume, not a substitute for it. In other words, you don’t merely restate what’s on your résumé.
Do you need help crafting a well laid out cover letter, reach out to us and you’ll be glad you did.
