Getting that competitive advantage in a crowded job market can be a challenge. One of the best tools you have outside of your Resume is a compelling Cover Letter that has fresh, engaging content that clearly outlines why you are the best fit for the role.
This is the perfect opportunity to present to the Recruiter or Hiring Manager a number of compelling reasons why you should move to the next stage of the process, an interview.
Ensure you have read and understood the role requirements and what is needed to succeed and put forward why you, meet and exceed those key requirements.
Nothing captures the attention of a Recruiter or Hiring Manager more than a well-tailored document highlighting why you, as a potential employee meet those requirements. Also, provide some specific examples in the document.
While this may take some time to complete, the investment can be worth it, regardless if you undertake the document yourself, or get a professional service provider to undertake the work for you.
Don’t leave a Recruiter or Hiring Manager to read between the lines in your Resume, put forward why you meet the requirements and what you will bring to the role – be clear on the value you will add to the business.
A couple of key things to consider:
Spelling and Grammar: check your spelling and grammar (get a trusted friend to review your document or use a resume service provider such as Resumes to you).
Content: ensure your content is fresh, exciting and not a simple copy and past of your resume content.
Format: format your document in a standard professional layout. Your cover letter is a first impression and you want to make the right impact. If it’s badly formatted, it could negatively impact your chances.
Personalise your cover letter: If you know the recruiters name, address the letter to them. Add the name and address of the company and add the position name as the reference. (personalising your cover letter will have a positive impact).
Double check: Before you hit send, make sure you have attached the correct documents, especially when sending. Sending an application for a job addressed to the wrong company or recruiter could kill your chances. It looks unprofessional, sloppy, and demonstrates lack of care or attention to detail.
Fixing an issue: If you send an application and suddenly realise that you have sent an incorrect document, don’t forget about it… contact the recruiter and inform them that you have sent the wrong document and arrange to send the correct items – you’ll be surprised how this can work for you.
There are other things to consider, based on your needs when developing a cover letter.
One of the best investments you can make is to have your cover letter reviewed and, if needed, professionally rewritten to improve your chances in a competitive and crowded market.
If you have errors or your document is poorly written, that could cost you dearly during your application process, so checking these few items could make all the difference.