Author: Preeti Sharma
If you’re on the lookout for a new job and have already perfected your resume, it’s time to start short listing companies you’d like to work for; it’s time to start sending out your applications for those dream jobs. So how do you introduce yourself to your potential employer? Do you need to send a cover letter? What if you’re applying on email – do you still need some kind of cover letter? How much should you say in it? If these questions have been bothering you, help is at hand! Read on for some tips on how to create a killer cover letter!
Let’s tackle the big question first – Do you always need a cover letter with your resume? And the answer is – Yes. Whether you are applying for a job a recruiter called you up and told you about, or if its one you are applying to from a newspaper advertisement, a cover letter is a must. Companies recruit hundreds of new employees every few months and review thousands of applications. Quite often, they will be on the lookout for multiple positions to be filled, so it is important to clearly mention what you are applying for and what you bring to the table – this is best done through a cover letter.
What are employers looking for? Apart from your skills and qualifications, things that work in your favor are if you have multicultural or global work experience, experience with cross functional teams, experience with crisis management and change management. Another critical aspect that is evaluated is the presence of qualities like commitment, enthusiasm, team spirit, leadership ability and a clear understanding of the business and organization goals. Many of these can only be demonstrated in your cover letter. While a resume will list out your experience, it is the role of the cover letter to draw the attention of the employer to sections of your resume that you would like them to look at. For instance, if you mention your experience in handling teams across the Asian sub continent, the recruiter or employer is likely to search out that part of your resume and read it more keenly.
What’s more important, them or you? Focus on what the employer is likely to be looking for. A good trick to use is the “You, I, Us” rule. Talk about “You”, meaning the employer and what they are looking for, then talk about “I” – your skills and experience that are relevant to the role and finish off with “Us” -which is how together you will do great things (you will be able to contribute to the organization leveraging your strengths and their platform). Remember to research the company and the role before typing up your cover letter.
Who do you address the letter to? Remember to address your cover letter to an individual. Make the enquiries you need to if you don’t have the information, to ensure it’s headed to the right person. Take care to spell their name correctly and get their designation right.
Isn’t all the information there in the resume? While the facts are there on the resume, a cover letter highlights what’s important. The other important use of a cover letter is to also mention something new, something that isn’t on the resume.
Can’t I just have a standard cover letter and use it for all my applications? This isn’t the best thing to do. Customizing a cover letter to include skills relevant to a particular role, demonstrating qualities important to a particular organization are very important and a generic letter just won’t cut it. Researching the job and the company may not take more than half an hour and will be time well spent. A well composed cover letter which shows insights to the role or company indicate your genuine interest in the job.
How do I end my letter? End your letter with some form of call to action – whether it is telling them you look forward to hearing from them at a particular email address or that you will follow up with them on the phone, don’t miss this bit out.
Is there anything else to watch out for? Yes. Errors. These have no place on your resume and certainly not on your cover letter. Have someone proof read your documents and then run a spell check on them as well.
How about email cover letters? Email cover letters must above all else, be short. Include the key points/highlights of your career and skills plus your credentials; limit this to 2-3 sentences. And remember to keep it in context (of the role you are applying for). Format the mail well, stick to a moderate font size of about 10 and an unfussy font like Arial. Use 2 paragraphs or 3 if needed to break up the text and content. The subject line becomes critical for an email cover letter, so use it to mention the role you are applying for and mention ‘Attn: Mr/Ms (whoever the letter is addressed to)’ before the name of the post in the subject line. If you can manage to compose a short subject line that covers this and your profile, then use that for added impact.
Do I need to project a certain image? While it is important to showcase your ability and highlight the skills that are relevant, make sure the letter reflects your personality. Don’t send in an overly aggressive sounding letter if you are much softer in person.
Remember, if your cover letter isn’t good enough, the recruiter may never open the attachment – your all important resume. So you may not even get a fair shot at the job if your cover letter is bad. Not including a cover letter at all will also work against you. If a company has already found suitable candidates and is sending out “Thanks for your interest, but the post has been filled” mails, a catchy cover letter might make them look twice and save your resume for future openings in the organization.
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