A crucial part of job preparation is preparing a cover letter that impresses potential employers. Your resume is equally important, but a perfectly-written introductory letter that is engaging and in line with what the employer is looking for in a future employee can be a make-or-break factor in landing your dream career. Write a letter that catches an employer's eye and sends you on your way to a job interview.
Tailor Text to the Company
Personalize each letter to appeal to the hiring manager's needs. A generic cover letter or template that is used for just about any position with multiple companies is easy for employers to spot. Make sure the tone of the letter is appropriate for the business and appeals to the company culture. Change the wording to include keywords from the job description posted and tailor the letter to appeal to what suits the company.
Sell Yourself
Your resume alone will not get you the job, which is why it is important to sell your personality and skills in an accompanying letter. Connect your experiences to model what the company is seeking in a desired candidate and use persuasive, confident language to show you believe that you are the top applicant and the best fit for the job.
Show Unique Traits
Make yourself stand out from the competition by letting your personality shine. Outline how you are involved in the community, model your personality traits to match the company's culture and show that you are a team player by giving specific examples of group accomplishments from previous positions.
Don't Overshare
It is inevitable that you possess weaknesses, but a cover letter is not the place to share your strengths-in-training. Avoid volunteering information that can be viewed as negative traits. Focus on your strengths as if your weaknesses do not exist.
Focus on the Company
Show that you have researched the company by outlining how your skills match the job description. Avoid discussing how you can benefit from employment and focus on how you can improve and complement the company's processes, procedures and operations.
Keep it Brief
Hiring managers are often pressed for time, so make their job easier by keeping the length of a cover letter to one page if possible. Candidates who forward two and three-page letters often overwhelm potential employers and may not pass through the screening process. Employers want to see that you can detail your skills and experience in a concise manner during your job preparation.
Proofread
Avoid the risk of your letter landing in the trash. A cover letter that is poorly written and riddled with grammar and punctuation errors makes a bad first impression. Employers may even assume that you do not pay close attention to detail and could potentially make mistakes while on the job.
A cover letter is just as important as a resume when submitting application materials to a potential employer. Ensure your job materials show your personality, your skills and your ability to submit clean and polished documents both prior to the interview and on the job.
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