Cover Letters- The Underappreciated Tool to Help Get the Interview
When you begin your journey to secure a new role, there is often a feeling of doom associated with having to write a cover letter. It’s very common to second-guess yourself as to what to write, where to start, and if it’s even worth it.
While the hiring world has drastically changed in the last 5 to 10 years, one thing has not: “Cover letters are still important. Yes, not all job postings require them, but it’s still a good practice to send one along with your most updated resume,” says Diane Steele, CEO, Steele Recruiting.
A study conducted by CareerBuilder revealed that 49% of hiring managers consider cover letters to be steroids for your work experience and written resume. Figuratively speaking, if there are 2-3 candidates being considered for a role, having a well written cover letter can be the difference between securing an interview, or not moving forward.
How Do I Write a Cover Letter?
Cover letters are meant to showcase your personality, experience, and achievements beyond what’s written on a resume. It fills in the blanks, as to if you are a good fit for a role, or not. The key to having a good cover letter is to make sure it’s well-written, has the proper professional tone, and makes you stand out. Below are some tips for you to consider while writing a cover letter for your next position.
1. Customize, Customize, Customize
“One of the biggest pitfalls I see are candidates having one generic cover letter that has potentially been used on multiple occasions.”
Here is an example:
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Pat Smith. I have been working as a (job title) for (X) years. I have experience in Microsoft Word, Google products, routing phone calls, event planning, expense reports, calendaring, and travel planning.
I am currently looking for a new role as I feel I have reached my maximum potential with my current employer. I am looking for a change and ready to tackle new challenges. I feel I would be a great fit for this role. My resume is attached for your perusal.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
Pat Smith
Ok- I just had to go make some coffee.
Is it technically composed well? Sure. Does it SAY anything of substance? No. Does Pat Smith now stand out in any way? Absolutely not!
The problem with having a generic cover letter is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all business it applies to. Obviously, not all businesses are the same size, let alone are in the same industry. You must customize every single cover letter so it’s a good fit for the job posting, and you must highlight how your experience parallels their needs.
If an employer has a job posting with an emphasis on needing to have good customer service skills and being able to work in a fast-tempo office, these items must be highlighted in your cover letter.
2. Do Your Research
Job seekers very often will investigate a company and customize their resume around it, but don’t think to customize their cover letter around it as well. “Do your mission and always know WHY you’re applying to a role,” says Steele.
Doing your research is absolutely vital at any stage of a job search, and your resume and cover letter can work together in perfect harmony to show that knowledge off. If you’re applying to an EA role that says that it supports the C-Suite, go on the company website or LinkedIn and look up the C-Suite executives. Where are they from? Where did they go to college? Do you have any common connections?
When it comes to the company itself, are there any recent press releases available? Did the business make any significant lists in its respective industry? Do they have a memorable marketing campaign that you’ve seen? Are there employee reviews on Glassdoor that talk about the culture of the company that impact you positively?
All these examples are great pieces of information to work into a cover letter that can aid you in shining brighter than the rest. Please note, there’s a significant difference between doing research and being a stage 5 stalker. Keep it professional. Doing research does not mean finding the social media accounts of potential bosses, finding out the names of their spouse and children, and seeing that they like to frequent a restaurant in your area. Research is very different from being invasive!
3. Be the Missing Puzzle Piece
Ensure that you are fleshing out all the reasons you’re a perfect fit for this position and how you can fix pain points that may be mentioned in the job posting. If their culture is everything you’re looking for and more, explain why!
If the role you’re applying for is truly a career stepping stone or your “dream company” that’s always been on your bucket list, those are details that need to be included in the body of your cover letter. If there’s a specific executive that you’re interested in supporting because of their reputation, explain what interests you in supporting them and why you feel you could become a crucial member of their team as their executive assistant.
If you stumble across a job posting that sounds like a match made in heaven and you check all the boxes that they’re looking for, an emphasis on your background and skills is essential.
Remember, what you put in your cover letter is your marketing piece for yourself to show why you’re the perfect match. Make HR do a double-take!
4. It’s Not All About You
We all remember “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” from The Brady Bunch, and to a degree, your cover letter does need to have a significant portion about yourself. In addition, however, you must remember to place in things about the company, executive, or information you may know about the business into your cover letter.
Showing the initiative to investigate the company and what their long-term goals are, what their successes or wins are, and any recent business activities demonstrates sincere, genuine interest in a career with a business vs just “looking for a job and a paycheck.” Showing a genuine interest in where a business has been in the past and learning about where it is now is a big candidate selling point.
4. Have a Perfect Closing
It should be a no-brainer, but make sure your cover letter ends with your full name, phone number, and email address. You want to make sure that you’re including the proper contact information so it’s clear and visible.
Ensure that you thank the employer for their consideration and that you look forward to speaking with them. Remember, the body of your cover letter should be so engrossing that the recruiter or HR employee should be clamoring for their phone to schedule an interview with you. Keep your closing polite, respectful, and short.
5. Final Touches
After writing your cover letter, take a few hours off or sleep on it and come back to it later with a pair of fresh eyes. If you have a trusted friend, family member, or colleague, have them look over your cover letter to be sure there are no grammatical errors or missing pieces of information.
6. Save Your Cover Letter in Multiple Formats
Most recruiters and HR professionals prefer receiving cover letters and resumes in PDF format. It’s good to have this version saved on your computer and your smartphone so it’s ready to go at any time but keep the Word version handy just in case an employer asks for any reason. It’s far better to be prepared!
Now, let’s look at a cover letter that stands out, that will give you 5 gold stars and a high five.
Dear Ms. Davis,
I’m writing to apply for the Executive Assistant position at Company XYZ as posted on your company’s career webpage. Over the last 10 years in my career, I can say with certainty that I have high aptitudes in calendaring, communication, organization, and keeping company overhead expenses to a minimum.
During my time with the Acme Anvil Company, I have been the executive assistant to the CEO in a rapidly growing medium sized business. It was my job to ensure that my executive’s day went smoothly and to oversee day-to-day operations within the business from start to finish.
Your company’s website has a strong emphasis on culture, with a strong emphasis on being an open communicator and active problem solver. During my time with Acme Anvil company, I was recognized repeatedly for having completed outstanding work, award-winning events, and going above and beyond to build relationships with individuals within the hospitality industry that resulted in having the best company events and travel as is possible for our employees and leadership.
I have spent my career cultivating my experience through enhancing my own professional knowledge and skills to do everything possible to make my leadership team have the most success possible. The vision of the company is exciting, and the regular press releases on the business’ progress and growth shows me that Company XYZ takes its mission and purpose very seriously. The parallels between my own ethos and drive and Company XYZ lead me to believe that I have the unique expertise that make me a wonderful fit for this role.
I would love to have the opportunity to speak with you by phone or email. My contact information is on my resume but have been added here for your convenience. Thank you for your time and I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
Awesome. E. Assistant
555-555-5555
Awesome.E.Assistant@professionalea.com
What a difference! As you can see, all cover letters are not created equal, and to stand out in the crowd, spending the necessary time crafting a well written cover letter is as important as your resume to help you land the interview.
Diane Steele, CEO of Steele Recruiting offers National Executive Search services for Executive Assistants supporting C-Suite Executives, and private career coaching.
Diane can be contacted at diane@steelerecuiting.com or steelerecruiting.com.
Written and edited by: Abby Huot
