Cover Letter Advice

August 10, 2010

With so few jobs out there, hiring managers are getting cover letters and resumes in record numbers. An original cover letter can make your application stand out. A hiring manager can be looking at hundreds of cover letters per day and they probably all start out in a similar way:

“Dear Hiring Manager,

Please accept this application for the administrative assistant job . . .”

Here are a few tips on writing cover letters:

Address the Hiring Manager by Name
Unless you are applying to blind ad, you probably know the name of the company. Using LinkedIn or making a couple of phone calls to get the name of the hiring manager can make your cover letter memorable to the hiring manager. Also, the fact that you took the time to find out the name of the hiring manager shows initiative.

Use Keywords
Many companies are working with a skeleton crew and you shouldn’t overlook the possibility that one person may simply be scanning over your cover letter, searching for certain important words. Look at the job description carefully and use the same words.

Follow the Instructions
Look carefully at the instructions given for how to apply for the job. Does it say to put certain words in the subject line if you are applying by email? Does it specify which kind of attachments you should use? Does it specifically say “No Phone Calls”? Not following specific instructions can cause your application to be lost, deleted or tossed aside.

Be Creative
Finally, make sure you aren’t using the same tired clichés in your cover letter. Cover letters can be boring to go through, especially if they all sound the same. Make sure they stand out! For advice on creative cover letters, check out this article.