Consider your cover letter to be your personal introduction to a company looking to connect with talented professionals. It is like a handshake and a first impression, all rolled in to one simple letter. With that in mind, do everything you can to make sure that your material is crisp, professional, free of errors, and unique. Today’s article will discuss the four top tips you can use to make sure your cover letter sets you apart from the crowd. These tips include focusing on results, avoiding grammatical mistakes, personalization, and relevance.
Showcase Results
Many professionals make the mistake of not having a distinguishing cover letter by focusing on the results of their efforts. The most important information you can share with a prospective employer in your cover letter is the achievements that came as a result of your work efforts with previous employers. Hiring managers want to know what you can do for them. A cover letter is the perfect opportunity to state this in brief. Your letter should highlight a few of your most impressive and recent achievements. Be sure to quantify your results and be succinct in describing your impact.
Review Your Work
Grammatical errors or strange formatting are signs of a disinterested candidate in the eyes of a hiring manager. Make sure your cover letter is professional and error-free. Avoid all spelling errors, typos, or awkward formatting. Keep your writing straightforward and to the point, but also personable and engaging. Limit yourself to the one page. A cover letter that goes into too much detail can be overwhelming for hiring managers to read. If you have difficulty editing your own work, consider asking a friend or family member to read your letter to check for any obvious issues. A fresh set of eyes can be all you need to perfect your cover letter.
Avoid Form Letters
A form or template cover letter without any specifics regarding how your skills and experience make you especially qualified for the job are common and easy to overlook. Employers (and sometimes software programs) are looking for keywords that were used in the job description to determine whether a candidate is a good fit for the position. Focus your cover letter by using the exact wording that was used to describe the required qualifications and duties of the unique job opportunity.
Make It Personal
Your cover letter is different than your resume in that it gives you the opportunity to tell a story. This narrative format offers more leniency for tone and voice, and ideally allows you to introduce yourself in a very personal and engaging way. Make sure your writing is professional but not bland. Avoid clichés and speak from where you are really coming from to offer hiring managers a look into the type of candidate you really are.
Leaders in Industrial Staffing Services
At Sentech Services, we partner with great clients to find talented job candidates the best opportunities for the next step in their careers. Contact one of the top industrial staffing agencies in Detroit, Port Huron and Fort Wayne today to get started!
