7 ways to make your cover letter stand out

7 ways to make your cover letter stand out

Don’t let your resume get lost in the pile with hundreds of others. Follow these tips to make your cover letter stand out

Address the actual personDitch the ‘Dear Sir/Madame’ or ‘To whom it may concern’. Use the hiring manager’s actual name and make a good first impression. You might have to do some research but you can find the person’s name by reading through the job advertisement, searching online or phoning the company to ask.

Make the first line countGrab the recruiter’s attention in your first line by being direct and telling them exactly why you want the job. Let them know why you’re the best candidate.

Mention the job ad or where you heard about the positionThe company you’re applying to might be recruiting for more than one role, so mention the job title and where you heard about the position in your cover letter.

Include details that you haven’t listed on your resumeIf you have achievements or special skills that you haven’t listed on your resume, your cover letter is a great opportunity to have them noticed. Don’t take up valuable space; just a short summary of your key strengths is perfect, your cover letter should be no longer than a page.

Don’t just copy and pasteTake the time to tailor each cover letter for each individual job application that you send. A recruiter will instantly dismiss a resume with a cover letter that is obviously not addressing their selection criteria.

Make contacting you easyIt’s important that you send your cover letter and resume in a document format that the recruiter will be able to open. Generally the formats to stick to are Word documents and pdf files. It is important to read the advertisement carefully to see if the recruiter has asked for a specific format. If they can’t open the file, you’ll have no chance of getting an interview. Next, ensure your contact details are listed clearly so they can contact you.

Check it. There are no excuses for mistakes such as typos and incorrect spelling in your cover letter. Make sure you proofread, and then proofread again. Making simple mistakes could cost you the job.

Now you’ve got the tips, it’s time to start applying. Good luck!