Review Your Cover Letter for This Basic Checklist
A terrible cover letter may seem like an outdated formality, but 87% of hiring professionals say they actually read cover letters, according to a poll by ResumeGo. To increase your chances of being hired, your cover letter should include the following elements.
Make sure you have the correct format
A cover letter should be about 400 words or three to four paragraphs in font size 10 to 12. Also keep it short — the cover letter should not be more than one page long. ResumeGenius has some good examples of what your cover letter should look like here .
Typically, the first paragraph explains why you are applying for a job, the second paragraph highlights your accomplishments, and the following paragraphs describe how your experience aligns with the goals or requirements of a potential employer. In the final paragraph, the employer should be thanked for their time and attention.
Eye-catching first paragraph
You literally have a few seconds to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Your text should be succinct and focused on what the employer is looking for in a potential new employee: express enthusiasm for the job, highlight a direction (if you have one), or list impressive achievements related to the job you are applying for. Balance has some good examples of offer opening here .
A word of caution, though, is not to waste too many words on the enthusiasm for the job in your introduction. Your interest in the job is obvious (why else would you apply?) And it won’t differentiate you from other candidates. Remember, the employer is most interested in your work experience and skills, so you need to get to this part quickly.
Include examples of relevant work accomplishments
The key word is appropriate here. Carefully read (or reread) the vacancy announcement, to understand exactly what the employer is looking for, and use this as your guide when describing their experience. You will want to reflect the language of the job posting, especially if it lists the skills. For example, if your post mentions Salesforce multiple times and you have experience with the platform, you’ll want to highlight that as part of your skills.
You will also want to highlight any accomplishments, ideally in the form of a short story showing professional growth, with a beginning, middle, and end. As an example, let’s say you’ve worked in customer support: show how you achieved all of your performance metrics, dealt with issues regularly, and got promoted to team leader.
Prove that you know the company you are applying to
Discussing the company’s values in a cover letter may be the easiest way to differentiate yourself from other candidates, but so few people do it. Why? Because it’s not easy to know what to write and it’s a lot of work when you’re applying for multiple jobs a day (with no guarantee that it will lead to an interview). Hiring managers don’t want to read boilerplate cover letters — they want to hire someone who “understands” and is enthusiastic about their company. Google the company and check their website for anything describing “mission” or “company values.” Knowing these values is in your best interest as well, as you don’t want to join a company that doesn’t fit the culture well.
Set the right tone, no cliché
The right cover letter tone – professional, friendly, and enthusiastic, no further ado – you won’t want to be late with the reception. If you’re having trouble with your tone, try reading the letter out loud: does this sound like a normal person you would like to talk to? Otherwise, your writing may suffer from a lack of sincerity, which may be the result of using too many clichés. (Of course, clichés are hackneyed phrases that tend to put people to sleep.)
Challenge yourself to avoid empty phrases like “I’m a fast learner” or “I think outside the box,” as the hiring manager has read them thousands of times. TopResume has some other good examples of clichés that you might want to get rid of.
Make sure you catch typos
Always, always, always proofread your cover letter. Remember that hiring managers are looking for a reason to reject your application, and the slightest typo in your cover letter can lower your chances.