Resources

How to Make a Positive First Impression in Your Cover Letter

The quality of your cover letter can make or break your chances of getting the job. It’s important to take full advantage of this opportunity to sell yourself as the absolute best person the company could hire. Give the resumehiring manager no choice but to call you in for an interview.

5 Tips to Make a Positive First Impression in Your Cover Letter

Incorporate the following five tips into your cover letter to make it stand out from the other candidates’ competing for the position:

  1. Personalize It.
    Most cover letters are addressed to a generic “hiring manager.” While you won’t lose points for doing this, you certainly won’t gain any. Do a little digging to find out the actual name of the hiring manager and specifically address your cover letter to them.
  2. Offer Statistics.
    Don’t just state that you have certain skills ─ prove it. Provide statistics to showcase your past achievement. So, if you developed a cost-cutting method that saved your organization $150,000 last year, let the employer know right away by stating it in your cover letter.
  3. Describe the Value You Can Bring.
    Rather than filling your cover letter with reasons why you want the job, take this opportunity to tell the hiring manager why you would be a valuable asset to the company. Conduct a little research to find a few areas the company could benefit from your expertise and describe positive changes you could implement.
  4. Incorporate Keywords.
    Review the job description to search for keywords and phrases used by the company to describe their ideal candidate. Many organizations use these words to scan cover letters and resumes electronically, so you may not even appear as a solid match without them. Plus, it never hurts to speak the company language.
  5. Build a Connection.
    Explain that the position isn’t just another job to you ─ that working for the company really means something. Whether you’ve admired the organization for awhile or their mission statement is close to your heart, describing exactly why you respect the company shows that you would be a very dedicated and passionate employee.

Need a Few Extra Tips to Impress Employers?

Contact the experienced recruiters at  PrideStaff North Dallas today. We’re here to help Dallas professionals find with truly rewarding career opportunities. Our services include temporary staffing, temp-to-hire and direct recruiting for a wide range of industries.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email