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Crafting an impressive cover letter can often be daunting, but it's an essential part of any job application. Your cover letter serves as an introduction to your professional capabilities, demonstrating your fit for the role and how you can add value to the company. This guide will walk you through the key cover letter techniques, and offer tips on how to start a cover letter to ensure you stand out in the sea of applicants.
How you begin a cover letter sets the tone for the rest of your letter. It's essential to start off with a strong and engaging greeting that captures the reader's attention and encourages them to continue reading.
If you have the hiring manager's name, it's best to use it. A personalized greeting can add a touch of professionalism and show your attention to detail. If the job posting doesn't provide a name, you may wonder how to start a cover letter with no name? In this case, a formal yet friendly opener like "Dear Hiring Manager" or "To the Selection Committee" will suffice.
When starting a cover letter for a job, your opening lines should briefly introduce who you are, the position you're applying for, and where you found the job listing. Try to craft a unique opening sentence that showcases your enthusiasm for the role and the company, and gives a hint of your personality.
Writing a strong cover letter goes beyond just the introduction. Other vital cover letter techniques include:
Make it easy for the hiring manager to see how your qualifications match the job requirements.
Show that you've done your homework and understand the company's mission, values, and recent projects.
End your cover letter on a confident note. Express your interest in an interview and thank the hiring manager for their time.
Need some more help writing a strong and effective cover letter? Here are six helpful tips to assist you:
If you have no idea where to start or how to structure your cover letter, you might want to find some examples that resonate with you and the role you are applying for. There’s no harm in following their lead, particularly when it’s a strong example, just avoid copying or plagiarising someone else’s work. Also be aware of sounding like everyone else. More on this below.
If your cover letter isn’t personalised (addressed to the specific hiring manager and company) or tailored (written for that specific role), it will read as general and basic. Related to this is the opportunity to match the job requirements to your unique set of skills and experience.
This is not the place for essays or lengthy paragraphs. Think of it as a teaser of the best information in your CV or resume – it can mirror your major achievements but leave the reader wanting more.
Some experts recommend 4 paragraphs in total but adapt this to your own background and preference.
Grab a red pen, release your inner editor and get to town copy-proofing your cover letter. You should be on the look out for spelling and grammatical errors, flow issues, formatting errors and anything that just doesn’t sound right. Be critical, put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and embrace the fact that it will likely take you several rounds of editing before you come to your strongest version. This level of attention to detail will impress your hiring manager or recruiter.
RELATED: The dos and don’ts of acing your next job interview
How do you remain professional in your cover letter but still manage to get a sense of your personality across?
Use of tone, conveying enthusiasm and even considering the design of your cover letter (free templates are available on Canva) are fresh ways to make your cover letter stand out from the pack.
Look to your trusted mentor or friend for an honest opinion of your cover letter. Ultimately, you want to give them your final version, i.e. the best possible version you could come up with, and then take their feedback into account for any changes if necessary. Separate from spelling and grammatical errors, you want to ask them if they found the information, tone and presentation compelling. If not, what’s missing? And did you communicate everything in the best possible way?
Mastering how to start a cover letter and applying effective cover letter techniques can significantly enhance your chances of securing an interview. Remember, your cover letter is your opportunity to make a memorable first impression. Make it count!
Want to revamp your resume with some of our fresh tips? Read more here.
If you’re ready for your next role, take a look at our current opportunities or get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants.
