It’s ruthless, requires personality, demands perfection – and shorter than the elevator pitch.
Hiring personnel will spend on average, seven seconds, reading your cover letter. So, why write one?
Cover letters complement your resumé and allow you to demonstrate those listed skills in a one-page story. Many candidates will say they’re creative and have strong communication skills, but does anything in your cover letter show your creativity and communication abilities?
These letters are risky, but unless stated otherwise, write one and customize it for each job, because an application with one, is stronger than an application without. Cover letters are your opportunity to supplement your resumé by explaining misconceptions, highlighting achievements, and demonstrating skills, without repeating any resumé content.
What do cover letters reveal?
Cover letters reveal your writing prowess by demonstrating if you can convey your message as quick as possible, in the standard business format. Carefully dissecting the job description and including similar keywords portray you as the candidate who would fit in.
Cover letters reveal your researching abilities by demonstrating if you can determine the identity of the hiring manager. Locating this person on LinkedIn and learning about them could provide insight on mutual interests and how these could contribute to a successful employer-employee relationship – valuable information during an interview.
Cover letters reveal your level of attention to detail. Spending extra time to ensure perfection shows your diligence and professionalism. Carefully reviewing your letter also tells the hiring manager you only apply to positions you have a genuine, deep interest in.
Interview
The goal of the cover letter is to secure an interview. To defeat the seven-second screening and advance to the next round, you must separate yourself and show why you’re more qualified than the other candidates. Consider the responsibilities of the hiring manager and answer this:
Why should I be one of the five (out of 100) applicants who deserves another 30 minutes to demonstrate why I’m the best candidate?
If your cover letter doesn’t answer this question, you’ve failed the seven-second screening.