Best Tips for Winning Cover Letters

If you are anything like me, you have been unemployed for approximately one year. I spend on average 50 percent of my time applying for jobs with little to no calls back. After months of wondering why I was not being considered, I decided to revaluate my resume and cover letters. My resume was a quick fix because I use the same one for every job. Cover letters on the other hand differ depending on the job and because of that they have always been a stressor for me. The idea of tailoring a cover letter to each job I was applying for overwhelmed me. 

This pandemic has left me with nothing but time, especially since I have been unemployed through most of it. I decided to dedicate some of that time to creating my own personal cover letter template. By no means is it perfect, cover letters tend to differ from job to job, but it is enough to demonstrate your skills and passion for the job you are applying for. And, at the very least, it will get you considered.

Through trial, error, and a whole lot of feedback, here is my cover letter guide. This template can easily be adapted for any job.

To start the letter, in the top left-hand corner I like to include my name, phone number and email address. Then, in the center of the page I write the date. I like to start the letter by addressing human resources. If you happen to know the name of the person who will be reading your cover letter than use that. I find that “Dear Human Resources” reads better than “To whom it may concern.”

In the first paragraph I immediately state the position I am applying for. I want the employer to keep that position in mind as they read through my qualifications. I say something along the lines of, “I am interested in applying for the (insert position here) position with the (company name).” Then I state my education. Now, on your resume you probably have your full education history, so in this letter simply highlight the most relevant schooling. After expressing my interest in the job and my educational background I like finish the paragraph by briefly stating why I would be perfect for the role. For example, if I were applying to an educational job, I would say something like “I believe in positive change and change comes from education.” That tells the employer why you have applied to this job.

The next paragraph will highlight some points on my resume that I think would be exceptionally relevant to the job. This can be done by either highlighting skills acquired from schooling or past work experience. This can be expressed by saying “I am incredibly knowledgeable in (insert knowledge area). During my time at (job or college) I managed/competed/oversaw (what did you do).” It is always good to have the job posting pulled up as you work on your letter so you can read through it as you write. If you choose to highlight any specific skills, make sure you explain what those skills are, how you have used them in the past, and how you intend to use them should you get this position.

In the last paragraph I like to reiterate the job position. This can sound like “I believe I would excel in the role of (position) at (company name).” It is similar to the first line. Then I state that I would appreciate the opportunity to have a job interview. I simply say, “I would appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate my excitement to be a part of your team in an interview setting.” To finish it off, I once again leave my contact information and state that I look forward to hearing back. 

Cover letters should be no more than one page long, so it is okay to keep it simple. Feel free to follow this guide word for word, or just use it as a general guide depending on your comfort levels. Good luck on your job search!