A cover letter is a great way to catch the eyes of the recruiter with a more personalized touch. It is also a format that is essentially your “subtle” show-off place, where you can showcase your passions, interests and expertise. Then why is that the people often ask, “What else can I do with this cover letter?”?
Writing and updating your cover letter can be a daunting task for each of us. This is mainly because no one really knows what all a recruiter seeks in one. I understand that a cover letter should be mainly dictated according to the industry and written according to the department you are applying in. However, there are subtle things that an employer, especially a human resource associate (a company’s vanguard while hiring personnel), can easily detect and take into account while hiring.
To make a great cover letter, certain things have to be kept in mind that the recruiter gang despises and catches in an instant.
Source: caliber8.sg
1. An impersonal approach towards the cover letter
One of the first things that a person realizes while seeing some words for him is the sense of belongingness and how much of she/he is shown concern. This is a reason why there is a great need for personalization while writing emails, texts. Even I have to keep in mind that I have to be personal to all people who want to know ways to improve a cover letter.
A cover letter is no different. Hence, any person who is making one has to be resolute to keep his cover letter from you, personally, and for his personal employee requirement. This means no “to whom it may concern”. Also, one should keep in mind that as it should not be vaguely written with no specific abilities. One of the best ways to keep it that way is to portray your skills in a more quantifiable yet compact way, so it becomes easier to understand while leaving the recruiter intrigued.
2. Cover letter is not an abridged resume!
The recruiters already got your resume, why bother them with more of the same. A cover letter is a place to be a personalized and creative writer who likes himself, and not a summary writer looking for employment.
My recommendation here would be to write in order to entice the reader. This means to write after a great deal of self-assessment and be as personal to the recruiter, industry and the company as possible. This also does not give you the right to be a show-off with claims that have no backing. In other words, be real to yourself and the recruiter.
3. KISS (Keep it simple, stupid.)
This is a suggestion that I would like to share with the 22-year-old me. A cover letter has to be a short document that is easy on the eyes (in terms of color schemes and fonts). Save something for the interview.
A cover letter has to be a prelude to your interview. As your resume will be indulging in your professional career, this letter is supposed to be a document that does not waste the recruiter’s time. Its content should be crystal clear, yet keeping the recruiter intrigued for the interview.
Source: Harvard Business Review
Conclusion
You may have realised that a cover letter is not a very easy thing to write by this time. With no set format, it is a place to simply be you while leaving some questions that the recruiter has to ask. Keeping the other points as a rule of thumb, go on and write a cover letter worthy of praise in your industry and your future workplace.
But, all this information loaded and no example?!? Relax, I got you. Here is a great article was written by Receptix showcasing pointers and samples for making a cover letter. You can also check out this great article by Zety explaining how to write a cover letter in 2021.
Just keep in mind that no one knows you better than yourself. Imprinting that mentality on paper can work wonders for your letter.
Go get’em!
