When many people are creating a job application, it is certainly the case that they put a great deal of time and effort into their resumes. However, this may well not end up being replicated on their cover letters, but this can be a major problem as this makes up an important part of the application and can truly make a big difference to the hiring manager when they are working out whether to call them in for an interview. So, here are a few of the features of a great cover letter to bear in mind.
Clear Structure
It is true to say straight away that a cover letter needs to have a clear structure from beginning to end. Of course, there are plenty of cover letter examples that can help you to get this right from the start. You need to make sure that you are using an appropriate greeting at the start, and the sign-off also needs to have a degree of formality to it. If you know the name of the hiring manager, make sure that you are addressing it to them. Other than that, it should be split into paragraphs based on each point that you are making.
Avoid Being Too Generic
Unlike a resume that may well have been used for a whole host of different job applications, your cover letter is the opportunity that you can take to be more specific about the job role and dig into detail in it. Therefore, you should certainly make sure that you are not being too generic. Look back at the features of the ideal candidate that they are looking for and make sure that you are hitting all of these, one by one. If you can back up your points with some evidence, such as stats, this can help to give you the edge over your major competition.
Keep it Short
While the cover letter should not be lacking in detail, you also do not want it to drag on and on. Ultimately, there is a balancing act that needs to be struck here. You cannot assume that the hiring manager has too much time on their hands to go through every single detail. Therefore, if there is some unnecessary waffle here, make sure that you are going through it with a fine-toothed comb to get rid of it.
Make Sure to Proofread
Even if you are applying for a high number of job roles, this does not mean that you should be skipping the proofreading stage. There is a point in which you can use spellchecker and grammar checking software, but it may not pick up on everything. So, go over everything your write carefully to ensure that you are fully happy with it all. Ideally, you should ask someone else to give you a helping hand here as well.
All of these are among the features of a great cover letter that will give you a better chance of standing out from the crowd.
