If you think that a Covering Letter accompanying your resume should be factual and boring, chuck that thought out of the window! Employers have huge stacks of boring and factual resumes and covering letters. If you send them another one, it will end up as just another addition to the pile.
How do you write a cover letter that gets NOTICED? Simple, just make it different from the rest. Make it interesting and easily readable. Here’s how:
Get Personal: Instead of making it the textbook “cookie cutter” cover letter, write up a unique letter for the employer. Try to establish a personal contact with the reader.
Instead of writing long paragraphs, divide the content of your letter into smaller paragraphs, separated by white space. This layout makes your letter easier to read. Wherever possible, add bulleted lists.
Begin the letter with an eye catching sentence. Your opening sentence should be something that jolts the reader into rapt attention, wanting to read your letter till the end. You could start with a quote or a bold statement about what you can achieve or anything else that claims attention.
The cover letter is like a sales pitch, for YOU. So highlight your skills, qualifications, experience and achievements as smartly as possible. It is a good idea to mention positive personality traits.
Close the letter with confidence. If you write “hoping/waiting to hear from you”, you may end up hoping/waiting for eternity. To display assertiveness and confidence (and to keep the ball in your court), write “I’ll call you/I’ll drop by next week to fix a suitable time for the interview.” This leaves no doubt about your sincerity and confidence.
Last, but not the least, write a letter, not an essay. Keep it short.
