The biggest cover letter mistake and how to fix it
The primary purpose of a cover letter is to convince the employer to read your resume.
Many job seekers mistakenly use cover letters to try and convince employers to hire them. They write long letters detailing their skills and experience and how they apply to the employer’s situation.
Less is more when it comes to cover letters. With often hundreds of candidates for a single position, employers have stacks of resumes and cover letters to read. Drowning in information overload, they can find themselves skimming or even skipping documents.
Wouldn’t it be great if resumes came with flags that popped up and said “I match what you are looking for in these ways! Read my resume for more information!”
Sound like search engine results? That’s exactly how cover letters function. And just like with search engine results, the reader – the employer – has a short attention span. You have to get your message across quickly or they will move on.
Web companies use Search Engine Optimization techniques to attract viewer attention and bring readers to their sites. You can optimize your cover letters with these three SEO techniques and create powerful cover letters that attract employers’ attention and focus it on your resume:
- Keep it short
Brief letters are easier to read. Too much information can prevent your message from getting across. One page is a good length under normal circumstances.
Think 3 succinct paragraphs:
- what position you’re applying for and why
- your capabilities for the position
- how to reach you and any other required information
- Be concise
The goal is to highlight your strengths for the position and point the reader toward your resume for more information. Elminate extra words to focus sentences on their most important elements.
Ex.: “My enclosed resume demonstrates skills and experience in the following key areas:”
Ex.: “Award-winning customer service” is more concise than “ You will find I am customer-oriented. After I was hired in my first position, I worked on a team that traveled across the state on customer service duties. As a result I received an award for customer service ….”
- Use targeted words
Get the employer’s attention by showing how your capabilities match what they are looking for.
Write concise phrases that summarize your capabilities for each of the top 3-4 job requirements. Bullet point formatting will draw the reader’s eye to this section of the page:
• “Skilled business analyst with advanced proficiency in Excel, Access and Sharepoint”
Use action-oriented words to convey a sense of energy and strength.
