Boost Your Resume With A Great Cover Letter

Picture this: Someone hands you a resume without saying anything, and a few seconds later, someone else hands you a resume, saying, “This person seems like just what we’re looking for and he is really interested in the job!” Which resume do you think you will favor? Naturally, you will favor the one with the great introduction. This is part of what a great cover letter does for you in your job search.

Related: 3 Tips For Writing A Successful Cover Letter

The entire goal of a cover letter is to get the employer to read your resume. Knowing that, it only makes sense to set your goal just a little higher to make them not only read your resume, but be excited to read it. A good cover letter will set a positive bias for you, boosting both your resume and your chances of getting the interview.

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How do you write a great cover letter?

Target Your Letter

It’s important that your cover letter be written for this hiring manager, at this company, for this job. Much more than just addressing it to the right person (although that’s a must); a good cover letter is written as if you were speaking to them. Inject some of your personality into your letter, but always maintain your professionalism.

Sell Yourself For The Job

The job search is a sales process (whether your job is actually in sales or not) and your cover letter is the first step in the sale. The psychological process of choosing someone to hire is remarkably similar to that of choosing a product to buy. When you choose a product, you want one that does something for you—it solves a problem, it promises a better outcome, or it delivers a result you need. Your cover letter should be focused on what benefits you could bring to them and their company. Pick a couple of significant, job-relevant points from your resume to highlight, and include them in your letter.

Quantify Your Accomplishments

Of all the things I could tell you to write in your cover letter, one of the most important is ‘quantify your accomplishments.’ To quantify means to describe in terms of numbers, dollars, or percentages. Whatever your accomplishment was, describing it with numbers, dollars, or percentages will grab their attention and make you stand out. A well-written cover letter is second only to a respected friend handing them your resume with a personal recommendation. Take the time to write a great cover letter. It will be time well-spent, because it will pay off in an interested employer who calls you for an interview.