Cover Letter Tips

Think about the purpose of the cover letter. Why does it matter? It is usually a brief, to-the-point message that tells the employer:

• Who you are
• What position you are applying for
• When you are available to be contacted
• Where you currently are, geographically
• Why you want to work for this company
• How you are the right fit for the position

(Notice how I just used the "who, what, when, where, why, how" method you learned in elementary school? It definitely applies to most meaningful documentation you'll ever create.)

I have had many employers and industry friends tell me that they only have time to look at a resume for a matter of seconds - less than a minute, for sure. Then they move on to the next resume, having decided if they will put your resume in the "look at this more, later" pile or the trash pile.

There are many correct ways to write a cover letter. This is a quick breakdown of how I usually do it:

• First Paragraph: Answer the "who, what, why" in this introductory paragraph. Demonstrate your knowledge of the company, their products / services, etc.
• Second Paragraph: Match your experience and skills to the needs of the employer. In other words, address the "how".
• Third Paragraph: Thank the employer for their time and consideration. Insert a passive or assertive follow-up statement, depending on what you think is best.

Other things to think about:

• Keep font size to 12.
• Maintain a professional, consistent font family.
• Usually you'll want to keep everything left justified.
• You do not indent the paragraphs mentioned above.
• Remember, you are competing with hundreds, if not thousands of other applicants at the beginning. Be original. Be creative. Be yourself.
• Focus on your strengths. Positive mentions. Never mention weakness about yourself.
• Watch your tone. You want to seem confident, not arrogant.
• Have other proofread your documentation before sending it to an employer. Our forums are a great place for this.
• Try not to use "I" too much when writing about yourself. It's clear that the contents of your cover letter is about you.
• Don't use the wrong words.
• to / too / two, your / you're, there / their / they're