What is a cover letter?
All HR know how difficult it is to find the right candidate. Especially if there are several tens or even hundreds of responses to the vacancy. In this case, recruiters most often pay attention to resumes that compare favorably with everyone else, and a cover letter can become such a difference.
HR professionals are much more likely to respond to responses with cover letters to their resumes, while preferring emotional texts. Today we will discuss how to write cover letters correctly, what kind of ideal letter looks like and how it can help HR identify the right candidate.
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a supplementary letter that is usually attached to various documents, for example, when applying for a job, at a university or during business correspondence.
In our case, a cover letter is a candidate’s chance to draw the employer’s attention to his resume. The cover letter is common in foreign companies. It is in the cover letter that you can indicate what is usually not indicated in the resume, or is not sufficiently disclosed:
- information about achievements;
- list of personal qualities;
- portfolio of works;
- motivation and interest of the applicant in this particular vacancy.
How to write the perfect cover letter?
If you think that there is a sample of the perfect cover letter that will help you get a job in any organization, we have to disappoint you – it simply does not exist. As, however, and some standards in this matter. But before considering possible examples, let’s decide what exactly should be there.
The first is the candidate’s self-presentation, his story about himself and his experience. The second is the reasons why companies should pay attention to it. How can it be useful to the company? This must be written in the cover letter, otherwise it will be just an autobiography of personal achievements, multiplied by at least two. Third – why the candidate should work in a particular company. This is an important point, since it is precisely such information that facilitates the recruitment process and gives the applicant himself an understanding of how he can be realized within the company.
Secrets of the Perfect Cover Letter
Literacy. It will be difficult to convince an employer if you write the word “responsible” without losing a couple of letters. After all, what kind of responsibility can we talk about if the candidate did not even bother to re-read his text before sending it?
Minimalism. Let’s be honest, no one is interested in reading a whole page of text about how the applicant likes to relax on the weekends, and what breed of dog he has (unless, of course, he gets a job as a dog handler).
Interest. If we are talking about the ideal cover letter, then, of course, it should be focused on a specific position. An applicant who sends the same letter to different companies is unlikely to be really interested in a particular vacancy, and HR understands this immediately.
Recommendations. Large companies almost always ask for references from a previous job. The applicant, who is ahead of HR and sent such information, immediately automatically rises in the HR rating among other candidates.
What information to add?
The text of the letter should talk about your work, studies, successes that are related to or close to the position indicated in the vacancy. You need to show that you are ready for this work, you can do it, you have all the qualities and knowledge necessary for this.
Some useful tips to help you write a good letter and increase your chances of finding a job in Chicago.
Strong start.
According to statistics, recruiting managers study the first 3 paragraphs. It is in them that you need to write an attractive text that will not allow a person to stop there. It is necessary to indicate how you are so suitable for this work, and it is for you.
Briefly and clearly.
Do not write everything about yourself and your career. Such a letter should be no longer than one page. It is necessary that all the specified information be related to the working specialty from the vacancy. In most cases, the employer only cares about how well you can handle a potential job.
Give facts.
You should not write only about how “cool” you are without giving real examples. Reached heights at work – write about it, backing it up with actions taken for this.
Standard letter format.
No need to use emoticons, non-standard fonts and useless graphic elements, write jokes and describe yourself in too loose a way.
Watch out for spelling and punctuation.
Do not make mistakes in the text! Many employers can take this very critically. Even if you have checked the text several times, send it to a friend or relative who understands the language for verification.
The letter is unique to a particular company.
You do not need to send a template letter that is not related to a specific company in any way. It is unlikely that the employer will be pleased with such a fact.
Get ready. Check out the company’s website and the job posting. Use words and names that are associated with this particular organization. Use parts of the text from the job description to make the letter as focused as possible on this organization.
Resume Writing Services in Chicago Il
In the US, help with resume writing, writing cover letter and job hunting is mainly provided by online resources. They help create concise and creative documents. Also on the sites you can get interesting ideas and convert them into an original resume that emphasizes your personality.
In the US, help with resume writing and job hunting is mainly provided by online resources. They help create concise and creative documents. Also on the sites you can get interesting ideas and convert them into an original resume that emphasizes your personality. Here are the most popular online resources – cover letter and resume services:
Zety. The service has template and cover letter constructors, as well as a tool for checking the finished resume. Differs in simplicity and usability.
Canva. The application offers resume templates that make it easy for both novice and experienced job seekers. All you have to do is find a suitable template, fill it out, and your professional job search resume is ready.
Resume Genius. Allows you to create a professional resume in 15 minutes. The site is easy to navigate and also offers a free document review.
resume.com. A free constructor where templates are created based on data about what employers want to see in applicants. Finding a job in the US will be easier if you tailor your resume to a specific vacancy.
Grammarly. A free spell checker. Ideal for immigrants who have just started learning English.
Resolution. A service where you can consult with experts. They will help you create a successful resume just for you.
Find My Profession. A site to find professional resume writers with experience in over 85 different career types in the US.
Lia Help. Writing service for those who find it difficult to compose beautiful texts. The authors are guided by Australian recruiters and have a good command of the Australian dialect.
C.V. Service. The site offers professional CV services in England. The writers will help you craft the perfect CV or Curriculum Vitae based on the British dialect.