Tips for Writing a Cover Letter

Tips for Writing a Cover Letter

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Brief is best! Keep your cover letter to one page only. A great cover letter makes the most of the opportunity to sell your employable skills to the employer with out wasting the hiring authority's time.

Do your research. Whenever possible, mention an article or other piece of information that will grab the reader's interest from the beginning. Referring to an article in the local paper or some bit of information on the companies website in your cover letter will go a long way.

Stay away from generic formula cover letters. Your cover letter shouldn't look like the same cover letter you have sent to 20 other companies. Employers can spot a cookie cutter cover letter a mile away and won't bother reading that cover letter because they feel it will not offer any pertinent information in regards to your resume and experience. Do your research and address the company's particular needs with in your cover letter.

Match your skills to their needs. If you've done your research on the company you are applying for a position, you have some idea what their business is about and how it might be changing or growing. Before you write your cover letter really take a lot of time thinking about what skills you have that will be useful for the company you are applying to.

No gimmicks! Some job seekers feel that the only way they can stand out from the crowd is to do something outrageously different in their cover letter and resume. While this strategy may impress managers in the graphic design or other creative fields, it most industries it will hurt you. Since the recipient of your cover letter don't know anything about you except your cover letter, the first impression is that you are "strange", desperate for a job and just plain old unprofessional.

Address it to a person. A cover letter that is addressed "To Whom it May Concern:" doesn't start out on a very flattering note. Make it mandatory to find the name of the person to whom you are writing the cover letter to.

Talk about your accomplishments. One of the most important rules you must follow as a job seeker is to prove what you can do by demonstrating what you have done in your cover letter, resume and references. The best proof to a potential employer of your abilities is what you have done for previous employers.

Use a quote from a reference. A reference to a positive comment, performance review or other recognition is a convincing plus for any cover letter. The endorsement you refer to in your cover letter don't have to be officially documented anywhere. A casual compliment from a previous manager is valid. Just make sure that your reference can be backed up if questioned.

Keep the tone of your cover letter positive. Don't go anywhere near negative. Don't mention a company layoff, a bad boss, a lack of advancement opportunities, etc. They carry negative connotations and do not speak to your strengths and why an employer should read your resume.