Although both terms can be used interchangeably, an application letter and a cover letter aren’t the same things. Is a letter of application the same as a cover letter? We get this question often, which is not surprising. It is not only enough to show interest in a particular job opening; you need these documents…
While you are applying for a job, bear in mind that lots of qualified candidates will submit their applications as well.
On that note, there are a few things you need to put in place to have the edge over other applicants, aside from your qualification. You need to attach a proper resume and a kickass cover letter to your job application.
Organizing each of the two documents properly will help you prove to the hiring managers that you are well equipped for the position you seek. As a result of that, this article is written as a guide for applicants aiming to learn how to compose a bomb cover letter.
Besides that, we have a separate article about how to write a kickass resume.
What is a Killer Cover Letter?
Before we go into how it is written, you need to understand what it means to write it. Writing a kickass cover letter is the first opportunity you will get to impress the recruitment manager.
If it is well written, the hiring manager would want to know more about you, and that would give you an edge over other applicants. It would serve as a medium for you to showcase all the career assets that make you perfect for the position you seek.
Crafting a cover letter is an art, but so is resume writing. I’ve found that the reviews of resumesolution were quite helpful when I was refining my resume writing skills. If you’re curious, you might want to check out this professional service.
Although your resume could be a brief document that outlines the essentials of your academic and work history, your bomb cover letter is quite different. It is a personal statement written to highlight the entire abilities you possess that make you perfect for the role you seek.
Besides that, even though you don’t need to alter your resume from inquiry to inquiry, your cover statement must be altered.
What Are The Tips for Writing a Killer Cover Letter?
At times having a strong CV might not be enough to secure you the job you are aspiring for. Therefore, present a well-written letter to highlight your skills and devotion to increase your chance of employment.
Follow the following tips while composing such presentations:
- Avoid starting with a generic salutation;
- Personalized it;
- Compose an irresistible introduction;
- Demonstrate that you are capable of assisting the organization in achieving its goals;
- Highlight what makes you an excellent candidate for the role you seek;
- Do not rephrase the content of your resume;
- Compose it in a distinctive manner;
- Show your distinctive achievements;
- Conclude your writing with a bomb call to action;
- Crosscheck it before sending it to the company;
- Write according to the word count and use proper vocabulary;
- Add your communication info;
- Avoid name-dropping any member of the company you are writing to.
1. Avoid Starting With A Generic Salutation
It is wrong to address your cover letter to “Madam”, “Sir”, or “to whom it may concern”. Using such headers would make it seem like you did not do your research about the job. As a result of that, the hiring manager could lose interest in reading the rest of your letter.
To avoid that, contact the company’s human resources department for a name, or go through their website for a notable name.
However, if you are unable to find a name, you can skip that process and get on with your composition.
2. Personalize it
While writing a killer cover letter, familiarizing yourself with the job requirements of the role you seek is a good practice.
While you are at it, find keywords that are frequently used by the company.
For example, many organizations prefer connecting with their customers, while some prefer employing workers that will constantly attain or exceed their sales objectives.
Ensure that your letter states situations where you displayed the qualities your employer is seeking.
3. Compose an Irresistible Introduction
While composing a personal statement, write the introductory part to catch the reader’s attention in the sense that he or she would be interested in the rest of the content after reading a few lines.
Therefore, the first paragraph must be a summary of your past achievements while you denote your desire for the role.
Besides that, state the reason you are the right candidate for the position
Additionally, while you are writing the introductory part of your bomb letter, include the title of the role you are seeking and the company’s name.
Most importantly, ensure that the whole introduction is as brief as possible and comprises the purposes of the writing.
4. Demonstrate That You are Capable of Assisting The Organization in Achieving Its Goals
Are you thinking of how to write a kickass cover letter to outclass other applicants?
You can outclass other candidates by showing employers that you have explored the vision of the company and that you understand what it is about.
In your composition, explain how you can assist the organization in achieving its objectives.
Regardless of if the company intends to broaden its industry or start new businesses, present yourself as a vital element in realizing its goals.
5. Highlight What Makes You an Excellent Candidate for the Role You Seek
Show the employers that you will be a perfect fit for the organization aside from possessing the required qualifications and experience to handle the role. Before you write, go through the requirements thoroughly.
After that, visit the organization’s website and check out its social media. Compose your letter based on the things you can gather about the company.
In order words, imitate the tone they used on their platforms and show your keenness in the company’s actions outside work operations.
Besides that, modify the layout of your writing to match that of the organization’s website.
Aside from that, explore the operations of the company to determine if it is more affiliative or combatant and show its significant attributes.
6. Do Not Rephrase The Content of Your Resume
Do not commit the common blunder made by many candidates while composing this sort of presentation.
Most applicants make the mistake of rephrasing the contents of their resumes. This is because the majority of them don’t know how to write a killer cover letter in a way that complements their resume.
To achieve that, write your letter with context and charisma without rephrasing the content of your resume.
This does not entirely mean that you should not mention anything outlined on your resume. Use your bomb letter to show the skills you acquired from the job experiences outlined on your resume.
We have a separate article on the most common mistakes on a resume. Go through it carefully to know how to avoid them.
7. Compose it in a Distinctive Manner
Many job applicants submit the same type of application to multiple organizations. However, employers can differentiate applicants who have input additional efforts to modify theirs from those who didn’t.
Therefore, you should take your time to write it in a unique way to have the edge over other candidates. Write your letter to show the reader your motives for applying for the particular position.
Besides that, highlight your skills and show a fragment of your personality.
In addition, show the reader that your principles align with the mission statement of the organization. Aside from that, indicate that you have the most demanded skills outlined in the job requirements.
That aside, display some humor and creativity as well but not without consideration.
8. Show Your Distinctive Achievements
Write your letter to bring the attention of the reader to some of the outstanding achievements in your career. If the employer is convinced that you are qualified enough for the role, you can be given the chance of an interview.
During the interview, the hiring manager will have you narrate the remaining part of your job experience comprehensively. Talk about your accomplishments whenever you can to boost the significance of your letter.
Besides that, outline some of your specific achievements with the use of bullet points in the middle of your body paragraphs to make them noticeable.
9. Conclude Your Writing With A Bomb Call To Action
Composing a remarkable closing paragraph is the final step in writing a bomb cover letter.
It is your final opportunity to leave a memorable effect on the employer. Therefore, use it to a positive effect by calling the attention of the hiring manager to the reasons you’re perfect for the role ahead of others.
While writing the final paragraph, include a brief review of the abilities that would make your services valuable to the organization. Afterward, show appreciation to the employer who created time to go through your letter and eventually ask for an interview.
10. Cross-Check It Before Sending It to The Company
Avoid spelling words wrongly and writing odd phrases as they could make you seem unfitting for the position you seek. Make use of tools like spell checkers while composing your letter, although you can’t rely on them completely. Dedicate time to crosscheck everything you have written to correct every error.
Additionally, while you are crosschecking, be observant of spelling and grammatical errors, repeated phrases, insignificant information, omitted information, wrong names, mismatched fonts, margins, and spacing.
Spotting your errors on your own could be hard. You can have a friend or relative go through it for additional precaution.
11. Write According to The Word Count and Use Proper Vocabulary
A well-written kickass cover letter is more than a paragraph but not as much as a novel. While you are composing it, bear in mind that its word count should be between 300 to 500 words.
Ensure that it doesn’t surpass a page, as no employer would have the time to read anything more than that. That is a result of the number of applications submitted.
Aside from that, make use of simple words that would add more purpose to your writing instead of complex vocabulary.
12. Add Your Communication Info
Most importantly, include your communication info in your letter so it would be easy for the hiring manager to reach you for the interview.
The easiest way to get that done is by including your phone number, home address, and email at the topmost part of the letter. We have a separate article about how to fluff a resume.
13. Avoid Name Dropping Any Member of The Company You Are Writing To
Whether you have a friend or relative in the organization you are writing to or not, it is unprofessional to name-drop them in your letter.
Instead, have them endorse you to the company authorities or pass your CV to human resources. In other words, ensure that your networking is done privately. We have a separate article about top rated resume writing companies in the United States.
What Are The Things To Avoid While Writing a Killer Cover Letter?
There are a few things you need to bypass while composing a bomb cover letter, and they are as follows:
- Do not address your potential employer wrongly;
- Anxiety;
- Fake qualifications;
- Avoid sounding too personal;
- Avoid being self-absorbed;
- Do not forget your resume.
1. Do Not Address Your Potential Employer Wrongly
It is unethical to address your potential employer with the phrase “To whom it may concern”.
Therefore, before you compose your cover letter, find out to whom you are meant to address the letter because you must get your salutations right.
Although it is not entirely necessary, writing a bomb cover letter without salutation doesn’t sound right either.
Additionally, most people like being addressed by their names. Hence, address your potential employer specifically instead of using Dear Sir/Madam.
However, if you don’t know who to address, you should address the company’s human resources. For instance, Dear Human Resources Manager.
2. Anxiety
Do not write your cover letter with desperation but with calmness. While writing, avoid using phrases that would make it seem like you are pleading to get an interview.
Even if you’re in desperate need of employment, don’t let it show in your composition, as it could send the wrong message to the reader. Instead, request an interview, and when you do, highlight your skills and qualifications.
3. Fake Qualifications
In the end, candidates who use fake qualifications get caught and punished for their crimes, so you should avoid it. Share your actual qualifications with your potential employers, as honesty is one of the traits they look out for.
Besides that, you won’t need to look over your shoulders throughout your working career if you avoid using false qualifications.
4. Avoid Sounding Too Personal
While writing a killer cover letter, avoid sounding too personal to the reader. Do not include things about your private life. Just highlight your skills and qualifications.
Remove every content of your private life from your portfolio before you include it in the application you intend to submit to your potential employers.
5. Avoid Being Self Absorbed
Do not make your cover letter all about you, but about how your skills can suit the company’s job requirements. Therefore, highlight the things you can do for the company and the goals the company can achieve if they hire you.
In other words, showcase skills, achievements, and qualifications in a manner that labels you as the perfect candidate for the position you seek.
6. Do Not Forget Your Resume
The greatest mistake you could make is to ignore your resume in the whole content of your letter. Your cover letter must be written to complement your resume, so ensure that it highlights the specifics of your resume.
Besides that, remember to attach your CV to your kickass cover letter before you submit it.
Example of a Kickass Cover Letter
[email protected] 913 – 675 – 4566 Long Island, CA 40997
February 04, 2022
Lucas Thomas, Head of Human Resources
PTP Management, PLC
3211 Brown Crystal Avenue
Beverly Hills, CA 6632
Dear Mr. Thomas,
As a committed accountant intern, the accountant posting with PTP management PLC caught my interest. During my analysis of your website’s job description, I was pleading to find out that needs and goals align with the role’s responsibilities. As a result of that, it would be a big step in the rest of my career journey to secure the position.
My Master’s degree in Accounting from Harvard University, alongside my 4 years of working experience as an accountant, has prepared me exclusively for your organization.
In my previous employment at Crystal Consults, I handled the company’s books through the global economic meltdown. Due to my skills and dedication, the company was able to survive those harsh situations and achieve more financial goals.
I come with my set of accounting skills that I believe the organization would find useful to its operations. Over the years, I have acquired skills such as multitasking, computer abilities, and financial management, which serve as the foundation for the role I seek. My economic skills and bookkeeping knowledge would come in handy for the company.
Please go through my resume to go through my work experience, qualifications, and achievements. I anticipate explaining how my personality, skills, and job experience fits the role of an Accountant in your company.
Thank you for your time and consideration
Sincerely,
James Garner
Key Takeaways
Have it in the back of your mind that lots of other applicants will send their job applications for the position you seek.
So, you must learn how to write a bomb cover letter perfectly before you send your application.
Firstly, you must avoid using generic solutions. Besides that, learn how to write an unforgettable introduction and highlight your goals and qualities in such a way that it aligns with the job requirements.
Most importantly, do not forget the things you are meant to avoid.
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