15 Ways to Improve Your Cover Letter

15 Ways to Improve Your Cover Letter15 Ways to Improve Your Cover Letter30As you write the final sentence of your resume and give yourself a giant pat on the back for pulling off such a tortuous task, youre hit with a sudden, crushing realization you totenstill have to write your titel letter. After spending the entire day customizing and optimizing your resume, how can you be expected to do the saatkorn with the typically generic cover letter? We have 15 answers for you.Here are 15 ways to improve your cover letter1.) Add a HeadlineYou dont need to stick to the standard Targeting Role As Marketing Coordinator at the top of your cover letter. If youre feeling creative, think of a catchy tagline that captures your areas of expertise while also showing off a bit of your personality. Were not talking Marketing Ninja Who Assassinates Monthly Targets and Annihilates the Competitive Marketplace here. (Although, you may actually get some interesting results with that one.) Instead, try some thing a little subtler, such as Digital Dynamo Who Positively Transforms Businesses Through Exceptional Visual Design.2.) Pick Your Top 3 AchievementsChoose your top three accomplishments as outlined in your resume and place them into your cover letter in bullet form. Yes, this could come across as regurgitation, but doing this allows a hiring manager to remember you for something distinct by the time they are finished scanning your application package. Try rephrasing the bullet slightly by attributing each bullet to where you were when you completed each task (e.g., While serving as project manager with Rexall, I).3.)Discuss How the Company Benefits YOUIts not all about describing how the company will benefit from your presence, but also about how the company will help you grow and prosper as a professional. Do some research into the companys corporate values and stress how appreciative you are of at least one of their codes of ethics. Be sure to also highlight how that particular best practice will benefit you professionally.4.)Its All About the Key WordsYouve obviously heard this before, but its important to actually plug in those key terms and phrases relevant to your industry and the job advertisement. Dont know where to start? Print out the job posting and read it carefully. Highlight the terms that pop up most often. Keep a tally and choose the top six relevant terms to incorporate somewhere in your cover letter. You can even try your hand at new technology by using a free online program like Wordle, which does the hard part for you5.)Tell a NarrativeThe second paragraph of your cover letter should tell a story. Whether its about your progression from intern to VP of sales, or describing your most rewarding experience with a startup that went from $0 to $5M in two years, you can leave a huge impact on the employer by drawing a parallel between the accomplishment and how you plan to leverage that experience in a new role.6.)Got a Decent Testimonial? Use ItIf someone has left you a solid LinkedIn recommendation or Google review, dont hesitate to throw it into your cover letter. If it resonates with you, it should do the same for an employer.7.) Write to the Job AdvertisementRead the job posting carefully and assess the voice and terminology used. If its more conversational or incorporates modern slang and humor, it would serve you best to return the favor by toning down on the formality and stiffness that many cover letters are plagued with today. Of course, youll need to also be tasteful with your sense of humor if you choose to dip into your witty side.8.)Definitely Downplay AdverbsNo one actually believes you when you say, I am extremely excited at the prospect of working with such a highly refined and established organization. Remember this every time you use an adverb (i.e., really, totally, and very), someones eyes roll to the back of their head.9.)If You Love Fluff, Do It RightIf youre a fan of the fluffy soft skills, do your best to tie them to a specific example that explains how you were a team player in executing a certain task, or how your exemplary communication skills were pivotal in directing a team to a successful result.10.) Too Tough? Make It RoughOkay, so all of this may sound easier said than done. Yes, writing a cover letter is tough, especially when you find yourself simply staring at a flashing cursor. If you feel lost for words, just jot down some random thoughts youd like to get across to the employer. Write out whatever comes to mind and it might just inspire you to get started.11.) The 360 RuleIf your cover letter is more than 360 words, its probably too long. Minimize the content in your cover letter to reflect the following formula one introductory paragraph (three lines), a secondary paragraph that tells a narrative (five lines), a phrase that introduces your key accomplishments, a subsequent paragraph that briefly highlights any additional skills you want to touch upon (three lin es), and finally a general closing statement (two lines).12.) Slash the Companys AddressUnless otherwise specified, its now considered a dated practice to include the companys address at the top of the cover letter. This was done back in the day when job applications were submitted via snail mail, but now its just considered a waste of space. Stick to the date, the job title and requisition number, and the name of the person you are addressing.13.) Do Your ResearchYes, you still have to put forth your best effort to find the full name of the employer or hiring manager, and yes, it can still be one of the most annoying tasks of the application process. If youre lucky, the job advertisement will usually tell you whom to address in your cover letter. If all else fails, Dear Hiring Manager is your next best option.14.) Edit, Edit, EditThis may be self-explanatory, but many job applicants continue to neglect this critical step. Unfortunately, one small slip or typo is now enough to lose your shot at an interview. Attention to detail is one of the most sought-after skill sets today, so be sure to edit and revise as much as possible to make every word count.15.) Make It Your OwnIf youre feeling flustered and find no solace with any of these tips, try coming up with your own unique approach to your cover letter. Some employers will take nicely to a new approach, while others will prefer the traditional style. If youre willing to challenge yourself and the status quo, go ahead and take the plungeResumeTarget.com provides professional resume writing services for clients of all career levels across North America. We are the only resume writing company that offers a professionally written resume- coupled with the guidance of recruiter- to guarantee that your resume will get results. Tweet us with any resume questions you have at www.twitter.com/ResumeTarget- were here to help