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Resume Cover Letter Advice

by Marissa Willman

Overview

A cover letter is your chance to go beyond the information on your resume to catch the attention of the hiring manager. Your cover letter can be used to argue why you are the most qualified candidate for a job, as well as explain your experience and education in depth. Cover letters should add additional information about your background rather than repeat the information on your resume. A well-written cover letter can help your resume stand out against the multitudes received for a job opening and convince the hiring manager that you are the perfect candidate for the job.

A well-written cover letter can help you land an interview with a prospective employer.
Make Your Letter Interesting and Engaging

Use your cover letter to catch the reader's attention and make your application stand out from the rest. Incorporate stories or anecdotes that are engaging, entertaining or funny to entice the hiring manager to finish reading your cover letter. Write your cover letter so that the hiring manager wants to read your resume and learn more about what you can bring to the table. The hiring manager may see dozens or hundreds of generic cover letters for a particular position. With a generic cover letter, your resume may not even be looked at. An engaging cover letter is more likely to have its accompanying resume read than a generic cover letter.

Explain Your Qualifications

Convince the hiring manager why you should get the job in your cover letter. Use your cover letter to explain your qualifications, experience and education. Also, explain why your background will benefit the company and how your skills will apply to the position. Try not to repeat your resume in your cover letter; the cover letter should be used to explain your qualifications in the depth that the resume does not allow for.
Personalize Your Letter

Go the extra mile to personalize your resume's cover letter with the hiring manager's and company's name, if possible. If the job advertisement only listed a company name, call the company and inquire as to whom the cover letter should be addressed. A cover letter addressed to the hiring manager by name is more likely to catch her attention that one addressed "To Whom It May Concern." In your cover letter, reflect the terminology or keywords used in the job advertisement. If the advertisement states the company is looking for a team player, dedicate a sentence or two in your cover letter to explain how you are a team player. Outlining how you fit the description of the person they are looking to hire will make you seem like a good fit for the company. Research the company and use the company's slogan or key phrases in your cover letter to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you have done your homework. Using the company's terminology or phrases will also make you seem like a perfect fit for the position.
Keep It Short

Keep your cover letter short to avoid losing the attention of the reader. A cover letter should not be longer than one page. Generally, a half-page to full-page cover letter is acceptable. Keep your sentences and paragraphs on point, as well. A full-page cover letter that contains fluffy or rambling sentences will not make a better impression than a concise half-page cover letter.