The cover letter: a resume’s best friend
There have been so many debates around whether or not you need to include a cover letter with your resume when applying for jobs. Some people may in fact tell you that the “cover letter is dead.” However, we are going to tell you right now, that you absolutely need a cover letter to accompany your resume. The cover letter is still very much alive and kicking. Most employers expect to see a cover letter when you apply for positions within their companies.
What exactly is a cover letter? You can think of your cover letter as an your introduction to the employer. It lets them know who you are both professionally and to some extent personally. Additionally, your cover letter explains why you are applying for the job and why you think you’d be a good fit. The cover letter also sets the tone for what’s to come in your resume.
Who needs a cover letter? Simple answer: everyone.
Here are the top 3 reasons why you would need a cover letter:
As mentioned before, you need a cover letter to introduce yourself to the prospective employer and to show why you are applying. This introduction also allows you to share what you’ve learned about the company and your passions and show how both align with your values.
You can use your cover letter a your own marketing tool to sell your finest attributes. Your cover letter allows you to focus on your achievements, strengths, and enables you to provide examples of all the amazing things you’ve done to contribute to your former companies or the teams you’ve worked with. A part of being able to self promote effectively is being able to show your enthusiasm and excitement for the job. A resume is fantastic for showcasing facts and is a great way to market yourself, but a cover letter takes a more personalized approach with the marketing. In a cover letter you’re able to use voice and tone to articulate strengths without sounding like you’re bragging. A cover letter allows you to display a fine balance while showing more impact.
A cover letter encourages the employer to read your resume and it creates a “call to action.” Your cover letter convinces the employer to read your resume and then take the next step to call you in for an interview.
Now that you why you need a cover letter, here’s how you can write one:
Take a deep breath and take a moment to write down why you are interested in this particular position. Note, we highly encourage you to tailor your cover letters to match the job that you’re applying for. This will increase your chances of getting a call back and will help your application stand out. When you write down what interests you about the opportunity this will create a sense of excitement within you and will set the tone for a positive and vibrant cover letter.
Research the hiring company to find out more of what they do and write this down. Write down why you’d want to work there and why the company interests you.
Combine 1 & 2 above. Combing your passions, values, and reasons for applying with what you know about the company. This alignment creates a solid cover letter and shows why the fit makes sense on both ends.
Align the requirements in the job description with the experience in your resume. Think of 1-2 specific examples that you can share to speak to your experience and how you’ve made impact.
Use the 3-Paragraph approach to write your cover. A layout can look something like this:
P 1: Your intro paragraph - say who you are professionally, why you are applying and provide a high level explanation of why you think you’d be a fit for the opportunity.
P2: Your explainer paragraph - this is where you prove you can do the job and you do this by mentioning specific skills that you have that align with what’s required in the job description, and you do this by providing specific examples. Unlike P1, your approach here is to go into details.
P3: Your thank you and call to action paragraph -further reaffirm your fit and use this opportunity to thank the employer in advance for considering your application. This next piece takes some guts, because this is where you specifically let them know that you’re excited, available, and ready to interview. You ask them to reach out if they have questions or to set up an interview.
Your cover letter should be one page and should be easy to read. The above outline we shared is a simple and more standardized version of a cover letter that you can create and that would work for all types of job opportunities in various industries.
So, the next time you apply for a job, don’t skip the cover letter. Writing a cover letter shows that you’ve gone the extra mile and you are really putting in the effort to put a little more time into the application process. It also shows that you have taken the care and time to research the company and you understand why and what you are applying for.
