Are you sending the same cover letter out to every job opportunity? If the answer is yes, you're making a classic job search mistake. Hiring managers glance over hundreds of cover letters a day, so job seekers that use the "shot-in-the-dark" approach tend to blend in rather than stand out.
Fact is, you can't effectively prove that you're the perfect candidate with a generic, cookie-cutter cover letter. A personalized cover letter that is written specifically for the opportunity and the company will help you get a hiring manager's attention.
It does take a little bit more effort to write a customized cover letter, but it is time well spent. Here are some simple rules that will help you create an effective, personalized cover letter:
Be focused
Choose one achievement to describe or one story to tell that will illustrate what a great candidate you are for the position. Too many people use the "shot-gun approach" by including a long list of skills, which frankly, belong in your resume.
Paint a picture
Don't cover the same ground as your resume, instead, use the cover letter to describe your career progression or the challenges you've overcome in richer detail.
Show compatibility
Hiring managers are looking for job fit and company match. Make sure that your cover letter reflects the same tone and feel as the job ad. For example, if the company is traditional, use a more formal, professional tone. If the job ad is written in a fun and creative way, follow the company's lead in your cover letter.
Stay professional
Hiring managers don't need to know the intimate details of your personal history. While it's true that your cover letter should be a more personal compared to your resume, it shouldn't be a therapeutic outlet.
Stay positive
Don't dwell on set backs, lay offs, politics or office dysfunction in your cover letter. It will only backfire--you'll come across as defensive, difficult to work with, desperate--or all three. None of which works in your favor. Instead emphasize what you achieved in your position rather than why you left.
For job-specific examples of cover letter openers, go to our Cover Letter Builder.
Be confident in your cover letter by having it written by a professional writer. Email us at resumewriting@livecareer.com with your phone number and best time for contact for more details.
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About the Author
LiveCareer Staff Writer
At LiveCareer, we live and breathe the belief that we can help people transform their work lives, and so do our contributors. Our experts come from a variety of backgrounds but have one thing in common: they are authorities on the job market.From journalists with years of experience covering workforce topics, to academics who study the theory behind employment and staffing, to certified resume writers whose expertise in the creation of application documents offers our readers insights into how to best wow recruiters and hiring managers, LiveCareer’s stable of expert writers are among the best in the business.Whether you are new to the workforce, are a seasoned professional, or somewhere in between, LiveCareer’s contributors will help you move the needle on your career and get the job you want faster than you think.
