Does your cover letter create a positive impact? Does it help your resume stand out from all the others maybes? Well, if not, then I want to unpack something with you.
Myth – that art of cover letter writing is dead. Hashtag not a true fact.
Fact, at Yellow Box, we say a well-crafted cover letter, the one that adds another layer of interest to the other forms of collateral, such as your resume and your LinkedIn profile, is very much alive and can be very impactful. Done well, it adds colour to the pile of maybe grey resumes. You don’t want to be in the grey resume pile, it goes nowhere north! It will give you that competitive advantage. It’s not just a repetition of the resume. If you are planning to put a standard template together and hope that it cuts through, then don’t bother. It simply demonstrates a lazy approach to the job search process.
As a potential employer, I’m looking for demonstrations and insights into your character and then followed by your competence (or gifts). Humans make 95% of their decisions using mental shortcuts or rules of thumb. It’s called Bounded Rationality. If I’m a recruiter and I don’t have a lot of time, I need to make decisions quickly. If you can make the decision easier, then this becomes the preferred option.
How can you make it easy for me (the recruiter)… well stand out from the crowd! So steer clear of standard templates, they look and sound the same as everybody else’s cover letter.
Alternatively, sit down, craft an amazing cover letter (it should take a few hours), then position yourself in the following ways. Demonstrate that you are articulate, with your ability to use words, sentences and structure to communicate a message or a story that is compelling and interesting. Show how you are insightful – mention some of their themes, market forces or influencers that are shaping the future of the industry or organisation and a short appropriate response. Let them know that you are strategic – looking at issues, to dissect and communicate the nature of their problems and how your employment might influence the organisation in a positive way.
Also, make sure you put in the effort to research the organisation, work out the issues, develop your messaging and write the letter. Just another couple of other things to think about.
The cover letter length – Keep it to a page, so you will need to be concise and focused with your language. Speaking of Language, make it positive, engaging and energetic. Use interesting words or expressions that are not falling into the trap of clichés or buzzwords.
Add your Contact Details – Just in case, include your details after your signature. Make it easy for the reader to get in contact with you. Don’t forget to add the Support Material – Make sure that your cover letter is supported by an equally amazing resume and LinkedIn profile.
If you want to discuss any of this content further, then reach out to this post or contact me at james@yellowboxcareers.com.au and remember to add a splash of colour to your day.