Ready to get started writing your cover letter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cover letter, at first glance, may seem like a daunting task, harder to complete than the responsibilities at the job you\u2019re applying for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, with our cover letter tips, tricks, and writing hacks, you\u2019re sure to find it\u2019s way easier than you\u2019d thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, let\u2019s get to it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHere are our top cover letter tips to help you score an interview:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Tailor Each Cover Letter for One Particular Job<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is one of our most important resume tips<\/a>, but it\u2019s also one of the most crucial cover letter tips, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does tailoring a cover letter mean, exactly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Research the Company Before You Begin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you start writing your cover letter, it\u2019s important to research the company. Not only will this help you write a tailored cover letter, but it will advise you on what to write in the body to tickle their fancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begin first by researching the position you\u2019re applying for at your company so you\u2019ll be able to understand and speak to exactly what they\u2019re looking for as an employee. A graphic designer or administrative assistant or junior accountant at Company A will have different job responsibilities, necessary skills, and cultural fit than the same exact position at Company B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, research the team you\u2019re applying to be a part of. This may be easier for larger companies, but it can definitely prepare you for success. Are you applying to join their marketing team? Learn about their past campaigns, their marketing \u201cvoice,\u201d and any other information so you can detail how you envision yourself helping the team grow and accomplish their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, research the company itself. From their founders and history to the company culture and future plans, knowing the company on a more intimate level will help you write a can\u2019t-be-beat cover letter, as well as impress them at the interview to follow!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Read<\/strong>: 10+ Job Search Tips & Tricks to Up Your Chances of Landing an Interview<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Find the Hiring Manager\u2019s Name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This probably belongs with researching the company, but I figured I\u2019d give it its own entry because it\u2019s important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you can avoid it\u2014and you usually can\u2014you don\u2019t want to start your cover letter with \u201cTo whom it may concern\u201d or \u201cDear sir or madam.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you know that famous quote by Dale Carnegie, author of How To Win Friends and Influence People<\/em>, one of the best business books to read<\/a>? He says, \u201cRemember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Don\u2019t Repeat Your Resume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Some people just use their cover letter to basically repeat everything they already mentioned on their cover letter, perhaps just in more complete sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cover letter should be complementary to your resume. Use it to go more in-depth on certain skills you have and how they relate to the job you\u2019re applying for. Or, explain why there\u2019s an employment gap on your resume, for instance, as that\u2019s usually something they\u2019ll want to clear up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reiterating your resume on your cover letter only gives them the same document twice, only in different formats; it\u2019s like sending them your resume as a PDF and also as a Word document. Instead, your cover letter should add value to your resume if you want it to add value to your chances as a prospective job candidate!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Read<\/strong>: What to Bring to an Interview? 10+ Things to Take for Your Big Meeting<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Always Send a Cover Letter When Applying for a Job<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These are all great cover letter tips and all, but do you even need a cover letter in the first place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Absolutely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cover letters are just as important\u2014if not more\u2014as the resume it accompanies. Worse case scenario is they don\u2019t read it at all and focus on your resume, but this is highly unlikely. And, as they say, it\u2019s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, read the job description just to be sure. If it specifically demands you not to apply with a cover letter, then don\u2019t, of course. Also, if you\u2019re applying through a proprietary application system, you might fill out all your information there and have no place to upload or paste your cover letter, and that\u2019s fine\u2014unfortunate, but fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, in every other case, include a cover letter! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Format Your Cover Letter Right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As we discussed earlier, a cover letter should follow formal letter protocol and rules, even if the content you write in the body is more on the informal side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how a cover letter should be formatted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your First & Last Name<\/em>
Your Address<\/em>
Date of Writing<\/em>
Name of Company Representative<\/em>
Their Department<\/em>
Company Name<\/em>
Company Address<\/em>
Salutation<\/em>
Opening Paragraph to Introduce Yourself<\/em>
Cover Letter Body Paragraphs<\/em>
Ending Paragraph<\/em>
Closing Sentiment<\/em>
Your Name<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you follow this cover letter format, you\u2019ll at least have the structure right. Feel free to copy and paste this onto your blank cover letter document and use it as a guide when writing yours!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Read<\/strong>: Internships 101: Everything You Should Know About Internship Programs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Don\u2019t Mention the EXACT Role You\u2019re Applying For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is one of the very specific cover letter tips, but it can be quite handy and only for the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your cover letter opening statement, when you mention your formal application for such-and-such position, leave off any qualifying seniority levels if they\u2019re on the low end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, say you\u2019re applying for the junior sales representative opening Company A has. On your cover letter, write that you\u2019re applying for the open sales representative position (leaving off the \u201cjunior\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the company only has the junior position to fill, then fine, they\u2019ll know you meant that. But, if they also<\/em> had a mid-level sales rep role to hire for, they could weigh your experience and fitfulness for that higher-level position, as well. You never know\u2014you could have earned yourself a promotion before you even arrived at the interview!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Stay Professional While Also Showing Your Personality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cover letters are business documents, so you should keep them formally formatted (which we\u2019ll talk about shortly). However, let your personality shine through, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you hand in the job application package consisting of your resume and cover letter, your resume is the all-business document. It\u2019s monotonous in nature, with curt sentences, bullet points, and lists of skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With that being the case, use your job cover letter to show some personality. Like I mentioned earlier, you shouldn\u2019t write \u201cDear sir or madam,\u201d because it\u2019s not personal and seems rather generic. The same goes with the actual content within the cover letter body. Let your excitement for the opportunity of being hired to work for this company shine through. Show your enthusiasm for the role you\u2019re asking to take on. Display passion for your past work, and they\u2019ll easily imagine you working for them, soon enough!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Read<\/strong>: How to Use Goodwall\u2019s Web Profile to Land a Job or Internship Opportunity<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Proofread Your Cover Letter Thoroughly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you even think about sending your cover letter, proofread!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest cover letter mistakes, and one of the biggest turn-offs for hiring managers, is to receive a resume or cover letter with a misspelled word or a grammatical error. Most typos are easily announced by your word processor software, whether it\u2019s Google Docs, Microsoft Office, or another program, but they can make mistakes, too, particularly when a word you misspelled is a correctly-spelled different word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, beware of cover letter errors involving dates you worked, goals you achieved, or responsibilities you had. To make sure everything reads correctly and well, hand your cover letter (and job resume) to a friend, relative, or, better yet, the career counselor at your high school or college, if you\u2019re lucky enough to have one. They may just spot something you had missed, even after several reads!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
10. Don\u2019t Lie in Your Cover Letter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lying on a cover letter is a sure way to get your application tossed out. And, if for some reason you lie and make it all the way to getting hired, you\u2019ll just have a longer way to fall when they do finally learn the truth\u2014and they almost always do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be humbly honest in your cover letter when talking about an employment gap or other incident you may be embarrassed about. Recruiters and HR managers know that candidates will have patches of time without work\u2014it would be almost a miracle if you didn\u2019t<\/em> have a career gap sooner or later! So, stay truthful on your cover letter, and you\u2019ll be just fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better yet, don\u2019t lie at any point in your employment process!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Related Read<\/strong>: Work From Home Jobs: 13 Best Remote & Online Jobs for 2021 & Beyond<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n