How To Write A Standout Cover Letter

Spring Break is almost here, meaning that colleges are entering the second half of the final semester! With graduation mere months away, now's the time many seniors are in the process of seeking jobs and internships for the summer. The pressure to land a job right after graduation can often feel overwhelming and disheartening when you're spending hours filling out applications and surveys without any response. If you want to make a lasting impression that gets companies to reach out to you rather than just remain another name in a giant application pile, you need to know how to write an intriguing and cover letter that makes people want to make contact and find out more.

A cover letter is the only part of the application process where employers can get a sense of your personality. It's the best chance to "sell yourself" and make an impression that means more than your cumulative GPA and the brief list of leadership experiences on your resumé. It's a narrative that tells the story of your professional life so far and what you hope to achieve in your future career

The fact that you sent in an application already tells the employer that you want the position. Your cover letter is where you explain why they should want you. Here's how to write a thoughtful and impactful cover letter that'll help get your foot in the door for that coveted interview!

1. Do Your Research

Before you start writing the actual cover letter, dedicate time to researching both the place you're applying to as well as the duties required of the specific position. Go through the company website, read Yelp Reviews and even look them up on Wikipedia and sponsored social media pages like Facebook and Twitter in order to get a sense of the company's history, audience, major contributions and upcoming projects. Even look up a few of the industry heads on LinkedIn and social media to really get a sense of how they got started in the industry.

It's especially smart to read a business' "About Me" or "Who We Are" sections on these sites; that's where you'll find the companies core values. work atmosphere and mission statement. It's always flattering to incorporate this message into the section of your letter where you explain "why you chose to apply" and "What about this job is specifically appealing to you."

That way when employers actually get to reading your letter it'll sound like you're already a part of the staff!

2. Get Specific

Cover letters give you more breathing room than a single-page resume to expand on your accomplishments and past jobs. Use this longer, paragraph style format to explain exactly what you contributed to each situation. Don't say that your three summers as a camp counselor involved "designing many exciting, creative projects." Instead, say you planned a musical instrument showcase for the whole camp" or "Taught archery to a class of 10 to 16-year-olds."

Rather than vague statements about how you "edited articles for many students and pitched topic ideas" as a student newspaper editor, use memorable, specific details like "Edited over 30 news articles from a team of 15 writers each week and generated story ideas covering music, sports, and politics."

3. Grab Onto "Buzzwords"

Read over the original job listing multiple times (even make a copy of it!) and include some of the same adjectives and abilities when you describe yourself and your achievements. Say why your past job made you such a "strong communicator" and what projects you've done that have helped you become "creative" or allowed you to "work well in a team."

It may sound like an 'easy cheat' or just telling the hiring committee exactly what they want to hear, but employers create those postings with their ideal candidate in mind, and many large companies today receive so many potential new hires that they'll have computer software programs that pick out which applications contain certain key phrases or skills.

4. Vary Your Sentence Structure

Another key style tip is to avoid passive phrasing as much as possible to make your voice sound stronger and more direct. In place of "I have experience assisting customers in a retail environment" say "I cashiered, answered questions and assisted customers with making retail purchases." Similarly, don't start every paragraph with "I am good" or "My experience at..." Instead, open each new section with your most important contribution to the job/internship/volunteer work that you're discussing.

5. Personalize Your Greeting/Closing

Everyone, even companies, wants to feel special. When addressing your cover letter avoid the generic "To Whom it May Concern" and instead write directly to the person who either posted the job listing or will be reviewing your application. In these cases, it's always best to use a formal title like Dr./Mr./Ms. etc.

If you aren't able to find the name of one specific person, then address your greeting to the staff you're hoping to work with such as: "Dear Company X Team:"

Otherwise, employers will start to think you're not invested in their business specifically and just copy-pasting and sending the same cover letter template to a thousand different businesses in order to land any job possible.

Good luck out there soon-to-be graduates! And for even more tips on the stressful job application process, remember to take advantage of the career resource center on your campus and set up a meeting with a counselor to look over your applications before you hit send.

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