How to write a cover letter that gets you noticed

By Toni Frana, Career Expert for Zety.com 

The current job market is hard, particularly for early career professionals. Recent data shows that the unemployment rate for new college graduates is 4.8%, higher than the overall unemployment rate of 4.1%. For new graduates, what this means is that it could be a long process to landing your first job after graduation. 

There are some strategies that can be helpful to getting noticed by hiring managers and recruiters, however. Yes, a tailored resume is a critical part of the application process, but so are cover letters. In fact, a well-written and attention grabbing cover letter could be the piece that encourages hiring managers to learn more about you. 

A cover letter can be a differentiator that shows personality, motivation, and a cultural fit with the organization. A resume tells an employer what you’ve accomplished, outlines your results, and highlights your skills, but a cover letter can get into the why and how you are interested in a job, and a company. 

Why Cover Letters Still Matter 

It’s a common misconception that cover letters aren’t read. However, they can be the difference maker in landing an interview or not. A recent study by Zety.com, a go to source for resume templates, analyzed user behavior to uncover 8 out of 10 recruiters reported they make recruiting decisions based on what they read in a cover letter. Organizations who are looking for new people look for enthusiasm, strong communication skills, and also fit with the company values and culture. Writing a cover letter gives you the opportunity to connect the dots between your resume, the job, and why you want to work for the company. 

Your cover letter is a way to share more of your career story. A resume is very straightforward, and contains relevant information to the role you are applying for. While a cover letter should do the same, you can go into a little more detail with some of your highlights, while still being clear and concise; the perfect formula for getting the hiring team to keep reading. 

What Hiring Managers Expect in a Strong Cover Letter

When writing a cover letter, it’s important to show your alignment with the company’s needs. Pay close attention to the job description to uncover key skills and experience they are looking for. Your cover letter should aim to highlight the specific areas and skills you have that match what they are looking for. It should have a professional tone and also be error-free. 

Demonstrating how your skills and experience solve the employer’s challenges will allow them to start to visualize you in the role. For example, if they are looking for someone with project coordination skills, you may share about a project you led in a class or during an internship prior to graduating. 

It is also important to share not only why you are interested in the particular job, but why you want the job at that company. Before writing your cover letter, do some research on the company. Pay careful attention to the job description, and then learn about the company mission, vision, and values. If any resonate with you, tell them. You could say something like: 

As a marketing professional, I’m excited for the opportunity to join an organization focused on driving results. I know that <Company Name> is a results driven organization, committed to meeting customer goals, and to be a part of a team aligned closely with my values is very exciting to me. 

Connecting not only why your experience is a match, but why you are a match can be a big differentiator in a high-volume of applications. 

The Anatomy of a Great Cover Letter

A cover letter is not intended to be lengthy. It should be less than a page, 3-4 short paragraphs, and overall between 250-400 words. Here is a basic outline for what your cover letter should include: 

• Header and Greeting
  • Your contact info
  • Include the Hiring Manager’s name if possible
• Opening Paragraph
  • Be enthusiastic and specific about why you are interested
• Body
  • Highlight a few key skills and experiences relevant to the role
  • Briefly give an example or story to illustrate your value
  • Align with the language in the job description
• Closing Paragraph
  • Reiterate excitement and interest 
  • End on a confident and polite tone
• Signature
  • A professional closing

Strategies to Make Your Letter Stand Out 

Once you have a good understanding of what you’ll include in your cover letter based on the outline, crafting one that will stand out to an employer requires employing a few key strategies. 

First, think about your cover letter as a way to tell a story about yourself. Framing your specific results, or an example of how you solved a problem, helps the employer start to visualize you in the role. Also, think about aligning yourself with the company’s mission and values. This will show the employer that you’ve done some research; not just on the job, but also about what the company is like. This encourages them to keep reading. Maintaining a professional tone as well as being authentic is also important. 

Finally, making sure you tailor each cover letter to the role you are applying for is important so it doesn’t read as a generic letter. In addition, the format of your cover letter should be easily readable with a balance of white space and text in short paragraphs. 

Avoid Common Mistakes

A generic cover letter that opens with “I’m writing to apply for the <job title>, or one that simply restates your resume are two common mistakes to avoid. In addition, keep in mind, having too much information (or text) will make it harder for a hiring manager to read your cover letter quickly and identify what makes you a great fit for the role. You want your cover letter to be very clear on why you are the right person for the position, and losing your accomplishments in long paragraphs and too much writing hinders the readers ability to find that information. 

Any typos, poor formatting, or writing that only focuses on what you want instead of how you meet the employer’s needs will not capture attention in the right way when you are applying for a role. 

Considerations for New Professionals 

As a new professional starting your career, in lieu of exact experience requirements, you should highlight your transferable skills from any internships, previous part-time or volunteer work, or any impactful projects you led as a student. Employers want to find someone who fits with the right skillset, but they are also looking for a new hire who will fit well into the team and organization. 

Showing how eager you are to learn and contribute to the organization in the particular role can make a big impact. Finally, soft skills like teamwork, communication, and adaptability are often desired by employers, so if you have specific examples of these, you could weave them into your cover letter as well. Be confident in your skill-set while being true to your experience thus far in your career. 

Writing a cover letter that stands out takes time and practice, but, when it’s a good one, it gives you a chance to stand out and connect with employers in a way that a resume does not do. Be intentional, tailor each cover letter to the job you are applying to, and look at it as an opportunity to make a great first impression!