Cover Letter Advice for People Entering the Job Market

The employment prospects for individuals who have just completed their graduation may not be very bright, but you can significantly increase your chances of success by launching an extensive search. Proactiveness pays, many a times handsomely, when seeking a job. To make your job prospects better, send a well-written and customized cover letter with every job application.

Here are some tips to help you customize your cover letters.

Know as much as possible about the employer

Sending the same cover letter to every recruiter definitely saves times, but it also makes you look ordinary. Most applicants follow this not-so-smart strategy, and if you too adopt it, you will come across as just another applicant.

To catch the attention of the recruiter and to stand out from other applicants, it is necessary that you send only customized cover-letters. Hiring experts find the most effective cover letters are ones which applicants are able to connect their knowledge, career interests, and experience to the description used in the job openings advertisement.

So put in some effort to learn about the employer's business needs and culture and the skills and qualifications required for the applied post and gear your cover letter towards them.

Include all necessary information

As fresh graduates lack real-world work experience, they are often at loss on what information to include in their cover letters and what constitutes as 'important' information.

As a rule, any information that shows that you have the skills that the employer is seeking is important and should be there in your cover letter. This could be the volunteer work you did last summer, a computer project, a high GPA, or seasonal jobs that you did earlier. Check out cover letter examples online to help spark some ideas if you are still unsure of what to include.

For example, Samantha, a computer graduate, created an Excel database for her college. By mentioning this in her cover letter for a Computer Analyst position she can demonstrate to the employer that she not only has the required technical knowledge, but has also used it in a practical environment.

Demonstrate passion

Many can talk the talk, but recruiters almost always give preference to candidates who can support their words with evidence. Here's an example.

You are applying for a job in web development, a field you plan to work in as creating websites is your passion. If you only present this information in your cover letter, you are not likely to impress the recruiter much. However, if you have previously developed websites for personal use or for your friends and include this in your cover letter, you have a better chance of impressing the employer and winning an interview.

Be concise

While there is no specific rule on how long a cover letter should be most recruiters are of the opinion that it should not exceed 300-350 words.

You must also pay attention to the format of your cover letter. Use the first paragraph to introduce yourself, to inform the position you are applying for and how you learned about the opening, and to show your enthusiasm for the said post. In the second paragraph, write skills and achievements relevant to the job. The third paragraph should include a strong closing statement that unambiguously conveys the action you desire.