We continue our series of cover-letter articles by Teena Rose, a certified and published resume writer and author of The 20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer and Cracking the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales. Use Resume to Referral for a high-end, high-quality resume and cover-letter package.
A job-specific cover letter is one of the most promising kind to send because the company is hiring! You know is is because the company told you so; possibly, through an online job board, help-wanted ad, or a posting at the local unemployment office. You know that the company is aggressively seeking someone with your skill set - and that shows great promise.
Job-seekers typically want to focus their efforts on those who are actively seeking new employees. In comes the need for a job-specific cover letter.
Before continuing, however, learning what not to include can make a “loser” letter into a “winning” one. Job-seekers seem to make the same mistakes. Maybe it’s because they don’t routinely job search, so their knowledge of conducting an effective job search dwindles between jobs. You should write a cover letter with these cautions in mind:
Before starting to write, and to avoid these “don’ts,” print the job description and break out a highlighter. Dissect the job description by highlighting the nouns strategically hiding within the text. With this action, you not only verify that you possess all the skills and qualifications that the company seeks, but you also ensure that each of them are prominently or strategically listed within your job-search materials (i.e., resume, cover letter).
Nouns aren’t difficult to locate. Take a purchasing agent position, as an example. Nouns (a.k.a., keywords) would include procurement, inventory management, and vendor auditing. Once you have a clear indication of these keywords, keep them in mind when you begin to write your cover letter. It’s all about reflecting you as the perfect person for the position. If you possess the skills the employer is seeking, then it’s simply a matter of ensuring your cover letter meets the company’s expectations.
The next step is to strategically weave the words into your sentences. Be careful. Use only those that are relevant to your career history, and ensure each are adequately spaced throughout the content so hiring managers don’t feel you’re being blatant.
Consider using different word variations, if the need calls for it. Some descriptions can be reworded and shuffled around - and although they mean the same thing, it will help you shy away from plagiarizing the company’s job description.
Let’s say that a human doesn’t review your cover letter, but maybe a management system stores it instead. Inserting select keywords into your resume and cover letter will definitely increase your chances there too. Amidst the dozens, hundreds, or thousands of jobseekers all vying for the job that’s intended for you, selectively inserting keywords is great for both real and computer eyes. Keep that in mind when designing any portion of your job-search materials.
Learn how to write and design an amazing cover letter.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters.
We regret that we have had to temporarily close this blog to comments because of an assault of spam. If you’d like to comment, please e-mail khansen@resumesandcoverletters.com.
Leave a comment