The Cover Letter Is The Bait!
It’s the pretty, eye-catching item that will cause your next employer to pick up the phone and give you a call before they have even finished reviewing all the applicants. It is the key to help you stand out and make a personal connection with the decision-maker before you even speak to one another. Your cover letter can be written in numerous ways. Don't get hung up on the details or pay someone to write it for you. You can tackle it yourself! Let me show you how simple it is.
A cover letter has a few jobs; as long as it accomplishes those jobs, it is good enough. It does not need to be laden with large words or printed on fancy paper (although, if you want to do that, go for it).
A cover letter should:
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Begin:
Begin your cover letter by stating your name and the position for which you are applying. Then, state who you are addressing. You can use “To Whom It May Concern” but often you can get more personal than that. In the example below, Kendra Robertson is applying for an automotive technician position at Bob’s Auto Repair. She could have used a generic salutation but instead, she did a quick search online for Bob’s Auto Repair and, sure enough, there was a local news article that had a short quote by “Bob Schmidt, Owner”.
If Kendra wanted to be a little less direct, she could also have used “Attention Service Manager” or she could have called the business number and specifically asked the name of whoever was in charge of hiring--that would be especially helpful if she was applying for a position at a larger company with multiple departments.
What Would Happen If She Made A Mistake?
What if Bob was the owner but was not the person who handled hiring? Would she have just hindered her chances of getting hired? Absolutely not! The hiring manager would not care; if anything, they may have noticed the extra effort. But, if Bob was the one reviewing the letter, his name would pop out. Dale Carnegie said, "There is no sweeter sound to one's ear than the sound of his name."
Next, Start The Letter!
Mention the position that you are interested in and how you heard about it. Then, mention something specific from the job advertisement. In this case, the job advertisement had mentioned that everyone works together as a team and that there are annual Christmas parties as well as other fun events. This last line will show the reader that you aren’t sending this same letter to several different people.
Tip:If you are applying to various positions (which I recommend) you can create a version of this cover letter for each type of position. For example, if Kendra had cast a wide net by applying for a repair technician, service advisor, machinist, and construction crew member positions, she would create a cover letter for each of those separate job types. Then for each specific position, she would change that one tag line; to the person reading the cover letter, the entire letter would appear to have been drafted with them in mind.
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In the following paragraph or two, you will tell the reader more about yourself and, while doing so, sprinkle in qualities that you know they are looking for. You should be able to pick out specific items from the job listing or you may know what most employers are looking for in your field. In this example, Kendra knows that the leadership at Bob’s Auto Repair will be looking for a hardworking individual (duh.), who is capable and willing to work on a variety of projects, and who will continue to learn.
Finally, It's Time To Close Out The Letter.
Give them a couple of things to remember as they review your resume. Again, this does not have to be fancy. Leave your contact info at the bottom, and that’s it!
Remember, a cover letter does not have to be perfect--it’s ok if you sound like yourself! Certain industries will take grammar and professionalism more seriously than others. If you feel the need, you can have someone proofread and edit your letter and resume. This could be a friend, a local professional, a freelancer on Fiverr.com, or even your English teacher!
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As I close out this 3 part series, I want to remind you to cast a wide net as I have mentioned multiple times before. The importance of this cannot be understated. If you move to a new area or are just looking for a change, be sure to consider each industry that you may be interested in. Even if you want to remain in your current field, having several job offers in your back pocket will increase your confidence and give you more power when it comes to negotiating. Applying to several positions in separate fields is an invaluable form of research. You will get a clear picture of what the industry as a whole is offering for a salary, schedule, vacation, etc. With that knowledge, you will be able to spot a good or a bad deal. If you have 5 job offers for positions in fields in which you are interested and 3 offers for positions in your current and preferred field, you will be able to negotiate for battery pay, more PTO, a more desirable shift, and many other items. No position will be perfect, but by using this tactic, you will be able to decide which benefits are most important to you, and you will be able to choose the position that offers the most in those areas.
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