How to Write a Professional Cover Letter
By Rosa E. Vargas, Creating Prints
Writing a professional cover letter can be an overwhelming task. However, like everything else, if you put the effort in, it will yield the results you desire. What makes a professional cover letter effective? The key is in the marketing of the benefits your employer wishes to attain via your employment -- find out what that is and you will lure the results you desire.
The Plan
Identify employer needs: Ascertaining what the employer needs is vital in order to write a professional cover letter that captivates them! Research job postings / descriptions and visit the company’s Website. Make sure you understand what they need from the ideal candidate and then market, promote, sell the reasons why you are the ONE to produce what they desire!
Communicate sincerity: Do try to sincerely flatter them by demonstrating genuine interest in the position. Discuss facts about the company; this way, you are not just saying you would love to work for them, but you are demonstrating it by being informed.
More personal than the resume: Your cover letter should further accentuate your qualifications in a manner not possible via your resume. Your resume is a powerful and succinct document; but, your cover letter will allow you to address the reader in a more personal fashion and if done well it will make a memorable connection with your new employer!
The Process
You must immediately grab attention: How many cover letters do you think this employer receives for the same opening? Hundreds! You must open your letter with a unique, active, and attention-capturing sentence, written to your prospective employer's needs. How can you do this? A few things you can be sure of...
A ) Don’t use pronouns or possessives to begin your first sentence. Do try to limit your use of pronouns in your entire cover letter.
B ) Don’t begin with an ordinary “I am applying for” sentence. You could begin with an inspiring quote, insightful information, a career comment. Be unique! The beginning is vital. You must be direct about the position you are seeking: Name the title you are seeking in your first paragraph, how you heard about it, and offer to fulfill it to their fullest desire.
Highlight key and relevant contributions: Use the body of your cover letter to reiterate what you will produce by listing what you have done! So, if you did it before...you can do it again!
Use industry jargon: Communicate your value with skills and phrases that are that industry’s standard. For example, the word “customer” is used and understood in all businesses. However, to make a stronger connection if you are seeking work in a hotel, you would use the word “guest.” If you are working for a doctor, the word “patient.” If you are a trainer, the word “client.” An association or organization, the word “member.”
Be specific: Limit generalities; instead, list quantifiable data to support your candidacy.
Don’t overwrite: Sentences that are short and to the point are much clearer. Don’t try to over impress with superfluous language. Yes, make sure it is professional, articulate, and correct...but not verbose or pretentious!
Don’t use exaggerated adjectives: This will only make you sound extraneously phony and not phenomenally qualified.
Professional design: A logo and impressive bulleted accomplishments will jazz up your letter. Make sure your cover letter mimics your resume’s design, creating a packaged personal brand. Nice impact counts!
The closer!
Be clear and direct in your closing: Don’t write “goodbye and thank you for reading and I hope you call me.” Call an action! Be it, “I will call you to set up an appointment…I will follow up with an e-mail to…, I will stop by on…” Let them know you are serious and you are taking charge –- just be nice about it!
The point here is that your cover letter must be unique, inviting, convincing, a prelude to a well developed resume, and it must provoke action! Your cover letter is part of a marketing package (along with your resume) an so merely writing it as you would any other communication letter is not going to lure the interviews you seek! Market and promote yourself as the ideal candidate with a letter that was strategically created to convince the employer you got what they need!
If you have questions or need assistance please call or e-mail us. Hire us to write your resume and cover letter and make sure you reach your employer and capture their interest.
