How to Get Your Cover Letter Noticed

How to Get Your Cover Letter Noticed

One of the toughest things about writing a job cover letter is that you can spend a lot of time and effort in writing a perfect letter but after that also you don't know if anyone is going to read it or not. Writing a good cover letter is an art. You need to make sure it’s well written, free of typos, explains the employer why you’re qualified, and a perfect fit for the job and doesn’t have any shortcomings that could cost you an interview.

What’s the best and the easiest way to get your cover letter noticed when the employer has a lot of them to look through? There are some quick and easy steps that you can follow to write a cover letter that will impress the hiring manager or any recruiter.

While applying for any job, the very first weapon you will use to seek the attention of employers is your cover letter. (Though, there are some companies that are so huge they don’t even have time to look for cover letters. But a lot of hiring managers at small and mid-sized companies do go through them.) A cover letter indicates the reasons you are the best fit for the job and how you will benefit the company. It also describes your ability to effectively communicate your objective. You just need to deceive the employer so they continue reading and learn more about you.

Have a go at these easy tips and see which ones suits you the best. Even a few small changes can make a big difference while applying for the job.

Quick Tips to Get Your Cover Letter Noticed

1. Choose the correct type of letter   Before you start writing any cover letter, make sure that you’ve selected the right form of letter. The style will always be different depending on whether you’re writing a letter to go with a resume, inquiring about job openings or mentioning a referral.

2. Search a contact person   If you somehow manage to find a contact person for your cover letter, you will be able to personalize it nicely, and you’ll have someone to follow-up with to make sure your letter gets looked at.

3. Including a referral   It’s worth taking out a few minutes to check if you know someone who can refer you to the job. Go through your LinkedIn network and your Facebook friends to look for anyone who works at the company who could refer you.

4. Choose a basic font   Choose a font that’s easy to read. Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri work nice.

5. Keep it short and simple   Cover letters shouldn’t be that long. In fact, all a lengthy letter will do is create a negative impact on the reader. A few paragraphs are enough, and your letter should never be longer than one page. If your letter is too long don’t use a smaller font, edit and remove some words instead.

6. Leave lots of blank space on the page   Another way to improve readability is to include spaces between the texts, paragraphs, and your signature. It’s much simpler to go through a properly-spaced cover letter than the one which contains too much information packed into too little space.

7. Match your cover letter to your resume   Always select the similar font for both your resume and cover letter and your application will look much elegant and professional.

8. Make a match between your skills and the job qualifications   One of the most important steps to get your cover letter noticed is to make a pure match between the job requirements listed in the help wanted ad and your credentials. Don’t expect the employer to figure it out.

9. Highlight only relevant information from your resume   Don’t use your cover letter to reuse and don’t repeat what’s listed in your resume. This is an opportunity to concentrate on the specific skills and attributes you have that will benefit the employer.

10. Customize letter and show the employer what you've got to offer the company.   Sending a cover letter that isn’t customized is not as worthy as customized one. This is your chance to crack an interview, so take the time to customize your letter, include a referral if you've got one, and include your best qualifications. Here are tips for writing a custom cover letter.

11. Use a T-Shape for you cover letter   A T-shaped cover letter highlights your experience and the employer’s requirements, typically in a tabular form after an introductory paragraph and above the conclusion.

12. Use bullets   Using a bulleted list is another way for improving readability and getting information noticed in your letter. Paragraphs tend to blur together, but bullets bring the reader’s eyes to the content on the page. Try to keep each bullet point short and starts with an action word.

13. There are some things you shouldn’t include in your cover letter.   It’s not important to always include personal information. Avoid including salary requirements unless the employer particularly requests you to do so. Do not include how/why you left your previous job, especially if you were fired. Keep your letter focused on the job for which you’re applying and keep it exact.

14. Close your letter with how you will follow up   If you know anyone or have a contact person and include your contact information so it’s easy for the employer to get in touch. Then add a conclusion and your name, and you’re almost done.

15. Check for typos and grammatical errors   Do not submit or upload before you have taken the time to carefully proofread your letter and that too more than once. Make use of Grammarly which is a terrific tool for making sure that your cover letters are perfect. Read it out loud in front of mirror and you may pick up some more mistakes yourself.

16. Include an email signature when emailing cover letters   When you email a cover letter, don't forget to include a signature with your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL if you have one. This will make it easier for the recruiter to get in touch with you.

17. Email it to yourself to make sure the formatting is perfect   There’s one more last thing to do before you submit your letter. Email a copy to yourself for a final revision. Make sure the formatting is as you want it and proofread it one more time.