WHAT IS A COVER LETTER? IS IT STILL IMPORTANT?

One common mistake in applying online is to send the cover letter as a separate attachment, or in the same document as the resume. Your email is your cover letter! Yes, the body of your email. When it comes to applying for jobs, job seekers often confuse cover letters with resumes.

Employers are already overburdened with hundreds or even thousands of documents everyday so you want to deliver your cover letter upfront, immediately when they open your application.

A cover letter is an opportunity to highlight yourself in your own unique way which a resume alone could not.

What should be in your cover letter?

Knowing the company’s mission, products, or services shows the employer you did your research and you are deeply interested in them. Take note of the following points to include in your letter:

Inform employers how you found out about their job vacancy
Tell them what attracted you to apply for their company
Specify what specific position you’re applying for (DO NOT INDICATE “Any Position”)
Indicate what qualities on the company’s job advertisement are inline with your experience(s), education, and skill

So, how exactly do you make a great cover letter?

Make it easy to read. After glancing at your cover letter, it usually just takes 6 seconds for employers to decide whether to continue reading or not and the major reason here is formatting.

Make it brief
Use short sentences and paragraphs
Avoid very small fonts
Always check for spelling errors

Avoid generic statements. Copy-pasted statements give the impression of a lack of originality and intelligence. Instead, use statements that are uniquely your own. Give a concise narrative of your strengths & your interest in the job, and your interest in the Company.

Examples:

“I am writing to you today to apply for the open position of social media marketing manager”
“My colleague, Ms. Gen de Guzman, told me about the job opening“
“I have learned how best to utilize all forms of social media, during my time in [previous company]”
“I enjoy working with like-minded people, and I am ready to take on a management position in your company.”

Address the need of the employer in your cover letter. Show how your qualifications and your character fit what the employer is looking for–you can use the details from the job ad as a basis for this.

Elaborate on what value you provide to them. Do not just tell them you “deliver results”, rather share the “how”. How were you able to demonstrate delivering results throughout your career?

Powerful opening and closing. Expressing your excitement and giving the employer a compliment are two effective ways of opening strongly. End by expressing your intent to follow up on your application and provide contact details for them to reach you.

Examples:

“I love a challenge, and I know I can help take your social media presence to the next level.”
“I will follow up with an email next week to see if I can offer any more information.”
“You can contact me thru [contact number], anytime between 7am-6pm would be best”

How do you send a cover letter?

Your email application is already your cover letter with your resume sent as an attachment.

There are also job portals that come with customizable ready-made cover letters whenever you apply. Take Mynimo.com for example. It has a cover template you can customize and send with your Mynimo.com application:

mynimo.com cover letter template — Start customizing this template and send a job application with a great cover letter here.

In other cases, online applications do not offer the chance to write or upload an actual cover letter. Work with the format you are given. There should still be an opportunity there to write a narrative about who you are. That will be your cover letter.

Don’t forget to follow instructions carefully. Most employers use the application process like an entrance exam. Follow instructions based on their job postings or else your application will be overlooked.