It’s easy to dismiss the cover letter as a necessary evil that most administrative job applications ask for, but few hiring managers actually read. If you want to get noticed as an applicant, however, you’ll use every weapon at your disposal. A cover letter can be your free prime-time advertising, as long it stands out from the crowd and leaves hiring managers curious to learn more.
Is There an Echo in Here?
Sure, you want a creative, inspired cover letter that reflects all the ways you are more special than the rest — to a point. Go all out on the format, on a catchy first paragraph (more on that later), but keep the content conservative, in the sense that it should be familiar to readers. The key to writing a great cover letter is creating an echo chamber that bounces the most important aspects of the job description back at your interviewers. After all, what hiring managers want to know is you know enough about the tasks and responsibilities of the job to speak about them in an authoritative manner.
Test for Connection
Making an impact with your cover letter means making a connection with your interviewers. Get to know as much about the administrative duties and staff as possible before writing your cover letter. You never want to address a cover letter “to whom it may concern”; it’s your business to find out names, titles and some pertinent work-related facts about your interviewers. Reference achievements or new developments for the organization, and particularly the department you’re applying to in your letter. It’s not about brown-nosing — it’s about forging a bond with your interviewers.
Mind Your P’s and Q’s
If you’re unsure how to format a cover letter, or need a template to give your letter a little more style, there are many resources online and in your local library that can help you. Don’t forget to edit and revise, too. Unless you know your grammar and writing are stellar, have someone look your cover letter over to double-check for errors. Ideally, have someone who is familiar with the kind of administrative tasks you’ll be doing look over the letter to make sure it is right in tone and style for your workplace.
Drowning in a sea of cover letter templates? Unsure where to begin? Wishing you had an employer to send a cover letter to in the first place? You need to contact Staffing Partners. The temporary employment experts at Staffing Partners are ready to help you develop your job-hunting skills and your resume by placing you in the best temp and temp-to-hire jobs in your industry. Give us a call today!
