What does a cover letter really show a prospective employer?
My phone rang. “Ms. Blackwood?” the person asked.
“This is she.”
“Hi! This is Shelly. I’ve just read the most incredible cover letter, submitted by you, for our marketing position. Did you actually write it yourself?”
My mind whirled. Most beautiful cover letter? Why was she asking if I wrote it? Of course I did! I had spent the last 4 years earning my degree in marketing, spending countless hours writing, rewriting and tweaking individual sentences and picking the perfect words to convey the messages I wanted to portray.
“Yes, I did.”
“Wonderful! I’d love to have you come in for an interview and talk with us about our job. And while you’re here, I’d like you to do a writing sample to see if you really can write.”
This was just over 20 years ago, but I remember the phone call. It was a high compliment on my cover letter and followed by a bit of a blow by asking me to “prove myself”. The impact of that is a conversation for another day (especially when tools like ChatGPT weren’t around). For now, let’s focus on the highlight!
There will forever be a hot debate on whether cover letters are needed, important, wanted or warranted. My answer: it depends. There are some positions where I can get behind the idea that they aren’t worth it. For the vast majority, however, even if a letter isn’t required, I argue that it’s your chance to really show and tell the screener why you’d be the best candidate for the position.
To dig deeper into this answer: cover letters show initiative. A well written letter takes some effort, even when writing may be a honed skill already. There’s some research involved, so you’d need to see what you can learn about the position. Yes, the job ad and job description are primary sources of that and can allow you to write about your qualities which match criteria; but there’s also a chance for you to explain why you’re so interested in the position. There may be some additional info you can glean into the open job through the company’s social media; talking to someone you may know who has that position (maybe within that company even); or doing a search on the web for videos of what the job entails. When you have this understanding, you can better explain why you’re so interested and how it fits your wants as well as your skills. Trust me, the extra effort in writing a cover letter does not go unnoticed by HR and hiring managers.
Cover letters also allow you to get personal, in a professional way. In your resume, where space is tight, aspects of your skills and experience are very sterile, showing facts and data. The cover letter is an opportunity to put some context around what you’ve done to get you to this place now. You’re able to share, through your writing style and the words chosen, a little bit of your personality and the way you approached various occasions. Demonstrate positive qualities about yourself, like leadership or self-motivation, among others. Elaborate on previous roles, where you have had successes and challenges, and reasons for seeking new challenges.
In a time where many employers are willing to teach skill, and therefore hire for “soft skill,” writing a cover letter shows that you can be effective in communicating. And we know communication is one of the top soft skills sought after! Regardless of the position you seek, employers value the ability to articulate thoughts and ideas, collectively pull them together in proper flow, and make them easy to understand in writing.
A solid cover letter accompanying your resume becomes a first step in building a relationship with HR and the hiring manager reviewing your submission. When providing context for the data in your resume, reviewers begin to see you as a whole and gain insight into your accomplishments and motivations. Reviewers see how your career goals align with the role to fill, and even more, with the company’s interests. Reading about your experiences and what you choose to highlight about your journey provides character to the information, helping to visualize you as part of the team early on.
Ready to write? Here are some quick tips on things to include in your letter:
Make it personal – this time not about you, but about the reviewer. If you know who the hiring manager is, address the letter specifically to that person, or to the team! It shows that you took that extra little step to know a bit more about the job than what was posted on the job board.
Grab attention! Open the letter with a powerful sentence that will have the reader wanting to know more. Immediately emphasize your best-selling points and the traits which make you the best fit as an example of what can catch their eye quickly.
Concise is key. You’ll have a lot you want to say, but keeping things straightforward and brief is important. The letter is intended to put a little bit of color into the information on your resume, but make sure to save some content for your interview!
Incorporate proper lingo. Use job specific language, such as key words from the job description. This will be helpful should the company be using an ATS system on the front end of their screening and shows that you understand a bit about the position.
Use action verbs where you can. Instead of writing about your responsibility for a task, tell what you did to accomplish it. An example: “I was responsible for the marketing department” could be “I spearheaded a team of three highly creative team members in the marketing department.”
Close with a promise. Make sure to tell them you are looking forward to talking with them throughout this process to help them understand how your experience and knowledge can further the company’s goals as a team member.
Keep the closing salutation formal, but you can be creative. I personally try to avoid using “sincerely” (although there’s nothing wrong with using it) and choose to use words or phrases like “kindly” or “best regards” before I sign off.
Most importantly, don’t forget your contact information!
Whether you love writing or despise it, making the effort to craft a cover letter is a step worth taking, regardless of the position for which you’re applying. It can, really, be the deciding factor between you and another applicant at any point in the hiring process.
Monica Blackwood is CEO of Westsound Workforce, a staffing agency with offices in Gig Harbor and Poulsbo. She writes a regular column for the Kitsap Sun on human resource issues in the workplace.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Writing a cover letter shows initiative, communication skills
