MMN originally published this story on 9/7/2010. We hope that you enjoy these blasts from the past as we add them to our new site.
One of the more time-consuming aspects of applying for a job is writing the cover letter. True, you might also revise your resume somewhat to highlight your particular skills as they apply to the job opening, but with a cover letter, you are usually starting from scratch. It has sometimes taken me half a day to write a good one, especially when applying for a position that is a sideways or forward leap from others I’ve held.
Some people understandably are put off by this task and skip it. Who wants to spend half a day on something that might not even yield a result? People who don’t take the time to craft a strong letter are absolutely missing the boat! A cover letter is your “first impression.” It’s a way for you to take the hiring manager on a guided tour of your skills and tell him/her in certain terms how you match the criteria for the job. You might even be able to propose a position for yourself that they don’t have yet.
How important is a good cover letter? When I was reviewing candidates for an MMO game I helped manage, I read a cover letter from a computer graphics student that was so compelling that I forwarded it to my supervisor. After interviewing this person, we decided to create a summer internship just for him, overriding an earlier decision not to take on any interns because of the management overhead involved. That’s the power of a good cover letter!
There are many nuances to sending a powerful message via your cover letter, including structure, language and marketing approaches. Some of these will be covered in future articles. For now, here are some basic tips on creating a good one.
- First and most important, read the job posting and make a list of all the job requirements for reference while you’re writing.
- Do your best to address the letter to an individual and build some rapport. In other words, demonstrate that you know something about the company, and explain why you’re excited to work there.
- Being as succinct, brief and confident as you can, demonstrate in the body of the letter how your skills, accomplishments and/or passion meet every one of the job criteria. It can even be a bulleted list.
- Before you close the letter, propose or initiate the next step, such as inviting them to meet in person or over the phone to discuss your qualifications.
Got the right interview clothes and the smooth interview skills down? Those don’t matter if you never make it as far as getting a phone call to invite you to an interview. Invest your efforts in a good cover letter. Going the extra mile may not pay off with every job submission, but it sure can improve your odds of getting a call back from someone.
Beverly Garland
