A cover letter can be a welcome addition to the resume. There are some “extras” that may make the difference in your cover letter making the hiring manager want to take a closer look at your resume.
Samantha Tollin of the Career Contessa suggests the following:
- Don’t just personalize based on the job description – dig deeper. Address your cover letter to the hiring manager, Do your research and find the Hiring Manager’s name or worst case scenario address it to “The hiring manager at (Company)”.
- Tell your unique story and tell it well. Think of something unique that will catch their eye in a manner that makes you the best fit for the position.
- Show that you did your homework. Pick out a few things about the company and show them that you understand and care about the company culture and mission.
- Ditch not only the spelling but also the grammar mistakes. This cannot be emphasized enough for both your cover letter and your resume. Review, review, review and then have someone else review it for you.
- Don’t oversell yourself and don’t say “I would be the perfect fit”. Emphasize your skills, strengths and experiences, but do not brag! Everyone thinks the are “the perfect fit” and hiring managers see this statement time and again.
The bottom line on cover letter construction is that you want to make your cover letter show that you are the best fit without overdoing it. You need to get the hiring manager’s attention in the best light possible.
For a detailed discussion by Samantha see Careercontessa
Go to www.TADPGS.com, click on the “Looking for People” tab, then view “Veterans Solutions”. To see more for information for Veterans, please join our LinkedIn group, Veterans Hiring Solutions for Veterans at http://linkd.in/Sg346w. If you have specific questions, contact me at [email protected].