Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2013. Its description of Promote Yourself as a recent bestseller and its advice reflect cover-letter practice at that time; hiring conventions may have changed since.
Neglecting the cover letter was among the reasons HR professionals gave for rejecting candidates. In the old days, or at least until relatively recently, a cover letter was usually a few paragraphs ahead of the CV in which you talked about yourself. But things have changed.
According to Dan Schawbel, author of the bestseller Promote Yourself, the modern cover letter should focus first and foremost on the company it is addressed to. Several experts agree that the days when it was enough to spend a few paragraphs detailing our achievements and successes are over.
What to put in a cover letter and how to write it
This may be easier said than done, especially considering that we are competing with dozens or hundreds of other applicants for the job (just like us).
I should make clear that I personally don’t agree with every point below, but since they come from experts and professionals in this field, we present the supposed new guidelines for writing a perfect, successful cover letter exactly as they are.
See also: Examples of the best cover letters companies have seen
1. It should be short enough to read in 10–15 seconds
According to Vicki Salemi, a careers expert and the author of several books, we should sum up our cover letter in three simple, short points, using the first point (paragraph) to grab attention. Bear in mind that recruiters won’t spend more than 10 seconds on a cover letter, so that is your window to catch their eye.
The advice is to spark interest from the very first sentence, where lines like this are now in fashion: “If you’re looking for a marketing guru, look no further. It’s me.”
*I have my doubts about using this kind of salesy line, which reminds me of low-budget TV ads.
2. Pick 2 or 3 skills the job requires and show that you have them
Read the job description carefully, noting which skills and qualities the job ad gives the most weight to. Then show in your cover letter that you have those skills. If they ask for creativity, be creative. Remember our 40 skills you should include on your CV.
3. Use numbers and statistics to back up your claims and show professionalism
This really is good advice, as it can make you stand out favourably in a cover letter. It’s good to say that you have experience managing social media, but it’s much better to say that you have run campaigns that generated 2 million followers and increased the company’s revenue by 3%. Make it clear that this isn’t the first time you have done it and that you know how to replicate your past successes at future companies.
4. Address your letter directly to the HR director or recruiter
Avoid writing “To whom it may concern”, because you are basically showing a huge lack of interest in the company. Nowadays, thanks to good old Google, you can find information on practically any company. Being able to address the letter directly to the person in charge would be a really nice touch.
If in doubt, don’t write “To whom it may concern” (it usually ends up concerning the bin); address it to the Human Resources Department instead. Any sign that you have spent a few minutes learning about the company is a point in your favour. Make the most of it.
5. Match your tone to the company culture
Remember the young job seeker who was humiliated by a company he sent his cover letter to? That company was annoyed that he addressed them as “usted” (the formal Spanish “you”), and also by his generic cover letter. You have to know the company’s culture.
Writing to a 150-year-old bank that prides itself on being conservative is not the same as writing to a new start-up whose CEO is 19 and has posted photos of himself on the website in jeans and a tank top. You should try to show that you fit the company culture from the very first moment.
All that’s left is to go over the cover letter and weed out any spelling mistakes.
Further reading
- Richard Branson: don’t hire a CV, hire a personality
- 10 words you should delete from your vocabulary
- My 3 most surreal job interviews
Featured image: Will Keightley, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.
