Cover Letters

More and more employers are giving applicants the opportunity to provide a cover letter.  I never really understood what a cover letter was for, didn’t I say everything I needed to say in my resume?  Well, apparently not.  Cover letters are intended for you to highlight your interest in the available position and to set yourself apart before the recruiter begins to read your resume.  This is an open invitation to tell them why you are different than the rest, why they should hire you and that you find their company culture to be in line with your desired prospective place of employment.  Most importantly, the cover letter should demonstrate why they should continue to keep reading more about you.

Standing Out

A cover letter is a great tool to separate yourself from the hundreds of resumes recruiters review.  Highlight the skills they are looking for, that you have experience in.  For example, if the prospective employer states they are looking for someone who is a developer with 5 years experience in Telecom, and you have that experience, be sure to include that in your cover letter.  This information may be in the details of your resume; however this is where you can highlight your skills for their requirements.  Make it easy for them to see why you are the best choice, enticing them to read more.

Hire Me!

It’s obvious to you that you are interested in the job, but is it obvious to them?  You have to distinguish yourself from the rest by demonstrating interest in the position and the company.  Study the website and use some of the content from their site to prove you’ve done your homework on the company and your work style matches their company culture.  Mention any awards you see and that you would like to be part of an award winning company.  Or maybe they have released a new product so you could mention your interest in contributing to the success of the new product.  These things matter to recruiters and hiring managers.  It’s clear to us when a candidate has researched the company and the additional effort goes a long way when considering who to interview for an open position.

Don’t Miss This Opportunity

Never leave the cover letter blank.  The recruiter or hiring manager knows you had the opportunity to highlight skills they are looking for.  Failing to say anything is worse than saying the wrong thing.  Use this opportunity to highlight your skills and make a good first impression.