Senior year was an exhausting blur of too many all-nighters and cover letters. The pressure to find a job was stressing me out and I felt like a hamster on a wheel. My goal was to apply for ten solid jobs a week. I was in and out of the Trinity Career center like I had no life. Actually, I really did have no life.
The interview process gets more and more complicated because there are way too many unemployed millennials out there. Having a good resume is essential, but it often comes down to the cover letter to get the job done. Here is how to write a cover letter that gets you hired.
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Let's get one thing straight - you absolutely do need a cover letter. I got lazy at one point during senior year and started applying on those "1 click" job sites. You know what happened? My phone was blowing up with offers for door-to-door and promoter jobs that paid practically nothing. If you want a quality position, you have to put in the effort.
In fact, hiring managers receive about 250+ resumes for a single position. Having a cover letter will give you an edge.
1. It's not about you. It's about them.
Now, I know that you'd be super happy to be working at this company and want to tell them all about how you feel. I bet you're also trying to showcase every single thing of note you've ever done, am I right? Unfortunately, hiring managers don't care about that time you stepped out of your comfort zone and flew to Thailand alone for a summer. They also don't care that you're so incredibly motivated, you wake up at 6 a.m. to run a 5K. I made the mistakes of mentioning these things and learned first-hand that they do not work.
Instead, you have to make it ALL about the business. Make sure to answer the following questions:
- What do I know about the business?
- What is the objective of the business?
- What are they currently working on?
- What skills can I utilize to help their projects?
Once you've got this knowledge down, use it to your advantage. Instead of saying: "I'm looking to use my Spanish skills to grow in your company," say: "I understand from your post on LinkedIn that you're working on a big merger with a Spanish company. I'd be happy to put my language skills in use to give you leverage."
See how by a simple shift in our sentence we made them feel like we care about their business? This is what works.
2. Do your homework on social media
For better or worse, we are all present on social media. Perhaps the only thing worse than having photos of you day drinking on the quad with your friends is to not have a Facebook profile at all. That means you don't exist and raises questions.
My mom had told me to erase my Facebook way back in 2011 when I was applying to college. I refused and used it to my advantage instead. Think about it - a social media profile is a great way to showcase your personality and skills. Say, you wrote in your cover letter than you're a team player. Having some photos of you on the field hockey or track team compliments that statement perfectly.
Having a LinkedIn is crucial. Statistics show that 84% of recruiters look for talent on social media. It's more entertaining to look at the site's sleek design and graphics than boring old text. Do some research on LinkedIn and include your findings in the cover letter. Make sure to have a strong and short presentation at the top of your page. Instead of saying: "I'm a team player who likes sports and computers," say: "I am a driven self-starter who works well in a team and is passionate about learning in an IT environment."
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3. Don't leave these details out
As we write a couple dozen cover letters a week, it's easy to cut corners. Don't do that. Pay attention to the small details. Always remember to include your:
- contact information (phone, e-mail)
- date
- employer's contact information
Make sure to use your most presentable e-mail. Go for britney.spears@abc.com as opposed to its.britney.btch@abc.com. This one should be a no-brainer.
4. Find out who the hiring manager is and address them by name
Psychology teaches us that the sound of our own name is the sweetest thing for us to hear. Use this to your advantage. Instead of using the generic "hiring manager," start with "Dear Allan." Seeing their name at the top of the page makes the hiring manager feel a greater sense of importance and control. I can't tell you how many times I've received e-mails for some product starting with "Dear Sir or Madam." That's an absolute waste of time. I delete all of those. Using the name of the person you address is vital for anything you do - whether you're talking to them at a party, at work or networking at an event. There's power in using somebody's name.
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5. Start with a WTF
If your opening sentence isn't interesting, the hiring manager will throw your cover letter in the stack of paper to recycle and you'll be wandering around the streets unemployed. I had a professor at Trinity who used to be a presidential speech writer. He always said that the first paragraph is the most crucial. If you capture the reader's attention in it, you're golden.
Instead of opening with a boring "Dear John, I'm happy to apply for the position of sales associate," try: "Dear John, I eat cold calls for breakfast and I've networked my way from Boston to Bali." The latter not only showcases your achievements, but comes in strong with a sense of determination. Stand out, don't be boring.
Use these five tips to build a great cover letter and relax, you'll get it done.
