Role of cover letter in your job search

A cover letter can be defined as a job application letter which accompanies a resume. It is that document which forms the very first connection between you and the prospective employer. This being the case, the role of the cover letter then becomes extremely important in the job search process. Cover letter sells your skills and experience to match the position being applied for in a clear, factual, and concise manner. Together with that, it bears the role of formally introducing you to the reader.

One of the biggest reasons why most of the job application letters fail to reach you to the interview door is due to a poorly drafted cover letter. You may just have the perfect qualifications and abilities presented in a professional manner in a resume, however, if your cover letter lacks good presentation, content, and writing style, it leads to misunderstanding in the minds of recruiters in regard to your skills. Hence, drafting the right cover letter is crucial in making a good first impression and is often the only opportunity to position yourself prior to being selected for an interview.

The role of the cover letter being so important, you must remember certain things while drafting it:

• Before anything, you should research the company – your background knowledge indicates your interest in the company and its requirements.
• It should be short and to the point, a maximum of four paragraphs – include just sufficient amount of information to encourage recruiters to want to learn more.
• The cover letter should be neat, with legible fonts and a professionally designed format which is visually appealing – it should catch the reader’s eye in a single glance.
• You should be able to make a powerful impact right at the beginning so that the reader reads on.
• Introduce yourself in a manner that is not boastful, but one which strongly presents you as a person who will add considerable value to the company or organization.
• It should not be a repeat of what you have in your resume – create a distinguished connection between you and the data mentioned in the resume.
• State a select few of accomplishments to embellish the document.
• Include examples that demonstrate initiative, enthusiasm, and quantifies results that make clear what you have to offer that would benefit the company.
• Make sure you do not use one cover letter for all your job applications – tweak your main cover letter to match the requirements of each company and the position being applied for.
• With the help of effective language, show the hiring manager that you are genuinely interested in being a part of their company.
• A cover letter should not only be professional but to a certain degree personal –it helps in creating an emotional connection with the reader.

However you draft your cover letter, the bottom line is that, you must keep in mind that this is the first insight the reader will get about you, so it has to grab attention and create an instant impact. You want to increase your chance of receiving an interview invitation, so go ahead and make the most of your writing abilities.