Covering Your Cover Letter Bases to Make a Great Impression

Covering Your Cover Letter Bases to Make a Great ImpressionCovering Your Cover Letter Bases to Make a Great Impression0A good resume gives hiring managers the information they need to bring you to the next step in the hiring process, the interview. The titelblatt letter, however, adds focus to your resume, and few employers will consider a resume without it. Although related, a cover letter and a resume are very different tools. In a resume, you list your accomplishments and state facts about your work history and education. A cover letter gives you the chance to sell yourself as the best candidate for a particular job.An excellent cover letter wont get you a job on its own, but it will work alongside your resume to get you one step closer. A poor or missing cover letter, regardless of the quality of your resume, can throw you out of the running entirely. Take the time to write a cover letter that hiring managers will want to read and that makes them confident you are someoneworth in vestigating further.Here are some tips to make a great impression with a cover letter1. Prepare ahead of time.Every job you apply for should have its own cover letter. Thoroughly research each company and position you apply for. Before you begin writing your cover letter, make sure you understand what the company does, the company culture, and the key characteristics of the job you are applying for.2. Dont repeat your resume.Use your cover letter to clarify your resume, but dont repeat it. Having the freedom to use complete sentences instead of bullet points gives you the opportunity to not only make a great impression but also to explain how your work experience uniquely qualifies you for the job as well.Explain why you would be an asset to the company and how you would benefit the company in the role it ishiring for.3.Be personal.In the past, cover letters often started withTo whom it may concern or a similar generic greeting. Know who the hiring manager is and greet them using th eir first and last name- e.g., Mr. Tom Smith.Use genuine, honest language your cover letter gives you a chance to convey your personality and to let the hiring manager get to know you through your writing.4. Explain the benefits of hiring you.Although you dont want to come across as bragging, your cover letter is not the distributions-mix to be shy.In two or three paragraphs, clearly explain why the hiring manager should want to meetyou for an interview.Explain how you will specifically benefit the company. If you have trouble writing great things about yourself, try using someone elses perspective and write from their point of view. What would a mentor, friend, or previous employers say about you?5. Ask for help.Before you submit your cover letter, have someone read it and honestly answer whether it sells you as the best person for the job. Unless their answer is a resounding yes, go back and revise it.6. Keep it short and sweet.Its easy to get carried away, especially when you are excited about a particular job. Hiring managers are busy, and you dont want them to view reading your cover letter as a chore.Make every word count and pack as much information as you can in one page. Many hiring managers prefer cover letters that are one-half page long.7. Carefully proofread your cover letter.Your finished cover letter must be error-free. Make sure to check your spelling and grammar, it would be a shame to have your document thrown out over a misspelled word.Your points should be simple and concise, your contact information must be correct, and yourachievements must clearly show how you would bring value to the job.Although companies may receive hundreds of cover letters, well-written ones stand out and leave hiring managers wanting more. These are the cover letters that lead to the ultimate goal an interview.abflug Your Search For a Flexible JobReaders, do you have any tips of your own on making a great impression through a cover letter? Let us know in the commen ts section below