Cover letters give you an opportunity to expand upon your resume’s bullet points, so take advantage of the chance to show off your abilities along with displaying your stellar writing skills. A good cover letter can truly set you apart from the competition.
Get specific
Your resume probably catalogues your work experience, but you should use your cover letter to specify and amplify. Without making it overly long, spend some time in your cover letter expanding on the tasks you performed in specific jobs and highlight skills relevant to the posted position. And whenever possible, quantify the specific contributions you made!
Get personal
You should personalize every cover letter you send out. Companies like to feel that you’re interested in working with them and only them. Include specifics about the company and the position; let them know you took the time to thoroughly read the job posting and visit their website. Express why this particular company and job interest you, and what skills and training you have for the listed job that makes you the right fit for the job.
Copy and paste with discretion
Since you’re sending out more than one cover letter, you can save some time and energy by copying certain details such as education background from one to the next. Also, you can possibly begin with a few templates like “Non-profit Cover Letter” or “Business Cover Letter” and change accordingly for specific companies.
Re-read!
Little mistakes, such as typos, can cost you an interview, so re-read and edit carefully. Get someone else to read over your letter – fresh eyes will often catch errors you overlooked, and they can also offer feedback.
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