It could almost be argued that the resume cover letter is as important if not more so than the resume itself. After all, if the resume cover letter doesn’t interest the employer, they may never even give your actual resume a chance. Writing an effective resume cover letter is fortunately not difficult. It just requires some attention to the key details and knowledge of what gets noticed – and what gets passed over.
Short and simple
The length of your resume cover letter has an important impact on how much of it the employer actually reads. A lengthy cover letter will cause anyone who reads it to lose interest and wind up simply skimming it. This means it won’t have the impact that it should. With just a few short paragraphs you should offer a simple introduction and some words about why you are right for the job. Anything more might make it too long to read.
Personal information, not personal life
Don’t tell too much about your life or history in the resume cover letter. It should tell the employer a little about who you are and what you have to offer the company, but it isn’t meant to be too detailed, or too personal. The details are located in the resume itself, and the cover letter exists to get the employer to read the resume with interest. Keep it light on detail and offer instead basics and an overview, letting the reader want to move on to read your resume and find out all about you.
Exaggeration doesn’t make you look good
A resume cover letter filled with exaggerated claims and over the top promises won’t make an employer more interested in you. After reading a few resumes like that, employers quickly learn how to notice when the truth is being stretched. Worse, if you do make promises you can’t live up to, you will suffer for it in the long run. Do talk a little about why you would be great in the position, but don’t go too far or you risk alienating the employer and losing your chance.
Show your interest
Many people use the same basic resume cover letter every time they apply for a job, but if it’s too general it will be obvious it wasn’t written for this application. Be sure to make a few changes for each application so that the resume cover letter appears to be specific to the position for which you are applying. Mention some things that were in the job listing, and refer to the position by the title given. This shows that you are really interested and that you were paying attention and read the listing thoroughly.
When you write a resume cover letter, bear in mind that it needs to make you look interesting and the reader want to learn more about you. If you keep all of these simple ideas in mind, you are sure to craft the perfect letter.