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Cover letters, who reads ’em?

‘Cover letters? Seriously, does anyone read a cover letter these days?’ asked my lovely candidate Liam. ‘Well, that depends on how keen you are to make a fabulous first impression,’ I responded. Our conversation continued…

Liam: OMG Jane, coffee, shopping and wine dates with my mates, so busy, no time to write cover letters! Isn’t my resume sufficient if it’s already proving I can meet the role expectations?

Jane: You’ve been networking; go you!  Sure your Resume and LinkedIn profile will take front and centre stage, but never underestimate the value of a well-crafted cover letter when wanting to capture the decision maker’s attention. 

Liam:OK, anything to set me apart must be good, right?

The case for the cover letter…

A recent survey by ResumeLab claimed that 83% of respondents said an excellent cover letter can bag you an interview even if your résumé doesn’t quite do the job. The résumé is a simple, black and white bullet-pointed overview of your job history, skills and achievements. In contrast, your cover letter allows you to inject a little of your personality as you hone in on the specific requirements of the role. So what does it take? 

Here’s a checklist that will help you craft a great little cover letter: 

Write with the job description in mind

Like your résumé, the cover letter should address the specifics of the job advertisement (ideally, the job description, so feel free to call the recruiter and ask for one). You can sell yourself more effectively by tailoring your pitch to the role.

Consider the tone

You don’t need to thank the hiring manager so incredibly much for reading your application–that’s their job. Instead, skip the excessive gushing and demonstrate genuine interest by writing a cover letter connecting your experience and the position’s requirements, effectively telling your reader why you’re the ideal candidate for the role. 

Personalise your greeting

Ideally, address your cover letter to a person rather than a generic option such as ‘To whom it may concern’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ – both so old and quaint. Instead, call the company or recruiter who placed the ad to secure their name. A perfect opportunity to ask for that job description and have any pertinent questions answered to ensure it’s worth applying in the first place. Searching LinkedIn is also an option. If you still can’t find the hiring manager’s name, address the cover letter to ‘Dear Hiring Manager.’

Now grab their attention

‘I’m writing to express my interest in (x) position’? Noooo, that’s so last century! The fact that you’re applying already tells them you’re interested. Here’s how one of my candidates captured his hiring manager’s attention using a specific anecdote highlighting why he would make a great candidate:

‘While you won’t find the title “Community Relationship Manager” in my résumé, I’ve been bringing people together for three years through hosting networking sessions and a series of online and post Covid face-to-face meetups via my blog.’

What about these examples?

  • ‘I’ve wanted to work in education since my second-grade teacher, Ms James, helped me discover a love of reading.’
  • ‘My approach to leadership is simple: I strive to be the kind of leader I’d want to work for.’
  • ‘In my three years at ABC, I increased our average quarterly sales by x%

Memorable examples are likely to have the reader want to read on, and that’s your aim. 

Something about the company that appeals?

If you’ve been referred by a networking friend, mention it immediately; otherwise, research the company and find something to connect with. Identifying what drew you to their job post helps create a connection with the hiring manager. Why not check out the company’s career page or EBSCO to find anything written about them. Consider Company360 or Dun & Bradstreet Hoovers (D&B Hoovers) to dive deeper into their subsidiaries, financial health, who’s on the board, key players, and more.   

Now prove that you’re worth interviewing

Swap out the list of skills and make the case that you’re more qualified than all the other applicants by providing examples of your ability to meet their requirements. Clarify what distinguishes you and give those anecdotes splashes of personality so that you stand out and entice the reader to want to interview you.

Here is an actual, two-line excerpt from a cover letter I recently read:

“If I’m in a conference room and the video isn’t working, I’m not the sort to simply call IT and wait. I’ll also (gracefully) crawl under the table and check that everything is properly plugged in”.

What a great way to lighten up your letter and highlight your soft skills by illustrating that you’re a take-charge problem solver, with a bit of humour, without saying, “I’m a take-charge problem solver.”  

Make the case  

Use action words to describe how you made a difference and bring a sense of enthusiasm to your commentary. Your cover letter shouldn’t repeat your résumé. Instead, it should be vibrant and reinforce your value while getting right to the point. No more than a page, half of that about your competencies and any results you can share that would help sell you for the position. 

If you are aware of any problems the company you are applying to is facing, talk about your previous successes addressing similar issues. You might also write about a time that you over-delivered on a project and, based on that experience, the diligence you bring to the role.

Make a strong close

Just as the perfect greeting sets the tone for your letter, a strong close can help you end on the right note. You might try something like ‘I hope to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on your business and the team,’ You can adjust this to the tone of the position accordingly.

Oh! And keep it brief! 

Many companies now use scan bots which can typically accommodate a cover letter of up to 250 words. We simply say no more than one page. A compelling lead paragraph, two to three short paragraphs or bullet points in the body showcasing examples of how you meet their crucial strength requirements, and a closing that includes your interest in the next steps.

Proofread, then proofread again

Once your sharp and focused cover letter is drafted and polished, spend time proofreading. Typos and mistakes indicate carelessness and can put you out of the running. Hints to help with this:

  • Use your spell check and editing functions as a start.
  • Find a professional proofreader or a friend who’s good at proofing to review your letter
  • Try reading each word and sentence from the end to the beginning. It’s a great way to help you disrupt the flow of the writing and spot mistakes more readily.
One final thing…ditch the cliches!

While proofing, look for and remove clichés such as ‘I’m a hard worker’, ‘I’m a team player’, ‘I’m proficient with Microsoft’ These are all expected. Instead, prove it with examples, e.g., ‘I solved (particular problem) while working in (x) and successfully reduced their end-of-month open invoices by 90%.’ Statistics and specific examples win over clichés every time.

In summary, taking the time to carefully craft your cover letter using the recommendations I’ve provided can significantly improve your chances of scoring an interview. Look on it as a supplement to your résumé, another opportunity to show your target audience the potential value you bring to the table.

Liam: (two weeks later) – Hey Miss Jane!! I’ve been shortlisted for an interview!! 

 

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Resume in need of an ‘old-school’ makeover?

Happy April, lovely readers; let me tell you about my latest ‘Hey Miss Jane’ moment with a sweet chap called George who, after experiencing one too many application rejections, recognised it might just be worth taking advantage of our career transition support after all.  

George: As he handed over his rather quaint (read ‘old-school’) resume…’Jane, it’s a buoyant market, and my skills are in demand; surely I don’t need to go through all this palaver with updating my resume?’ 

Jane: ‘Yes, we are currently in a booming job market, George, thanks to the national talent shortage, and yes, your skills are in demand, but so too are the skills of your 300+ competing applicants.’

Like fashion, resumes change, and if you’re not keeping up with the changes, your resume will go straight to the ‘no’ pile. What’s more, ‘old school’ resumes will ‘age’ you, show that you’re not up to date and potentially make you a less desirable candidate.

G: ‘Ok, guess that’s why I’m here, after all, to seek advice from the gurus in the industry.’

J: Right answer, buddy! (said my thought bubble). ‘I’m just as keen as you to ensure you land this job, George, so let’s make sure you stand out, beginning with removing a few of the obsolete items.’ (said I) 

Resume in need of an ‘old-school’ makeover? Here’s what NOT to include:

CAREER OBJECTIVE

Objectives – a statement telling the employer what you’re looking for in a job – are irrelevant in today’s market. You’re applying for the job, so your objective is already pretty obvious, isn’t it. Let’s swap out that objective statement with a well-written Summary introducing them to your brand title and most relevant skills and experiences as they relate to the job you’re targeting. Use it to tell them why they need you rather than why you need them.

UNRELATED AWARDS, HOBBIES, AND INTERESTS

Sure it’s great to receive awards, but are they relevant to your work target? Same with your hobbies and interests. Collecting stamps or being a pig wrestling champion might be interesting, but it doesn’t tell the employer anything about what you actually offer. Leave them out.

The exception is if the award, hobby, or interest is relevant to the role. For example, suppose you’re changing careers from accountant to food blogger. In this case, the fact that you’ve won the Noosa Foodie Festival Guava Jam contest for the last three years is relevant to the job, and you could include that information.

EXCESSIVE FORMATTING

Resumes are mostly just words on a page and, yep, quite dull to look at, and the urge to jazz things up and make your resume stand out with fancy fonts, colours, columns, and graphics OR the urge to use one of the many visually appealing templates available, is strong. 

Today, most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that may be unable to read columns, fancy fonts, and graphs. Recruiters may also read your resume on their phones, making it hard to see your resume columns or the whole graph. Instead, keep it simple. Avoid fancy templates, use a font that’s easy for humans and machines to read, and use formatting sparingly.  

RESPONSIBILITIES LISTS

Providing an exhaustive list of tasks and duties for previous positions won’t “wow” a hiring manager. That’s just like sending your job description.

Instead, provide a high-level overview of your primary accountabilities in a short, succinct job scope. Then, replace the finer details with the results you delivered when executing those responsibilities. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to help employers understand how you did what you did and why it made a difference to your company. This will help them understand the potential value you bring to them.

THE BASICS 

Knowing how to use Windows, Microsoft Office, and email is expected; therefore, ditch them. Instead, highlight the skills that will help you stand out. Knowing how to use a spreadsheet is one thing. But can you set up macros and run pivot tables? Those are the kinds of skills you should be highlighting.

G: Gosh Jane, I had no idea; I’d better get cracking!

J: Indeed, George, and once you land that job, we recommend you update your resume at least once a year, whether you’re in the job market or not. Can’t wait to see your cracking new resume!

What are the things you feel you just can’t leave out of your resume? Drop your answers in the chatbox.

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Hey Miss Jane, why do a career stocktake?

Happy March, lovely readers. Continuing our Hey Miss Jane career coaching series, let me share a recent (and typical) conversation I had with a lovely chap who was taking advantage of our career transition support post his redundancy. We’ll call him Fred:

Fred: Jane, I don’t have time for this career stocktake nonsense; I just need a resume!
Jane: Sure, I can help you craft that, Fred, but what kind of job are you targeting?
F: I don’t care, as long as it’s a job!
J: What sort of jobs are you interested in?
F: I don’t know, I just know I don’t want to do what I’ve been doing.
J: This is your golden opportunity to find your bliss, so what kind of job interests you?
F: I don’t know?
J: Ok, so what sort of jobs have you been searching for on the job boards?
F: Anything and everything, I don’t know where to start!
J: This might feel a bit out there but assuming pay or prestige were not significant, what might your ‘magic wand’ job look like?
F: I DON’T KNOW! I just know I need a resume so I can get a job.

Fred has just had the rug pulled from under him; he’s anxious, worried he might need to sell the house, sell his firstborn, sign up with Centrelink (none of which will happen, but hey, he’s still processing, so cut him some slack darlings). Here is where services such as what I do come in handy.

It’s my job to (a) reassure him that he will find another job, (b) help him figure out what that next job looks like, (c) help him create a tailored resume that sells him to that job, (d) help him hit the visible and hidden markets to find that job, then (e) interview with confidence to put that baby in the bag (and that firstborn back in her mother’s arms). We’ve got this, Fred!

Speaking of Fred:
Fred: So why is it so important to have a work target?
Jane: So that you know what to search for (hugely time-saving), can pitch your verbal commercial (so that your friends, network and recruiters understand what you’re looking for and can help), and craft a resume that proves your capacity to do that targeted job.
F: I need a drink
J: Me too, but it’s only 10 am. Coffee?

By now, you’ll have identified that a generic resume won’t cut the mustard because it’s likely selling you to what you used to do, not what you want to do next. Oh! And have you heard about scan bots? That sneaky application software that searches for keywords aligned with the job ad to determine if your resume even deserves to get to the read pile?

Back to Fred:
F: That makes sense, but how do I figure out what I want to do next?
J: Let’s start by doing a bit of a career stocktake.

Career Stocktake?

So what does a career stocktake entail? Well, young grasshopper, let me tell you! (Fred’s already been there, and he’s landed the job of his dreams, another success story, but stop with the bragging girl!)

Here’s what I recommend:
Grab a whiteboard (or the fish and chip paper, or your iPad mindmap app, whatever).
Now draw these circles, along with their headings on your whiteboard/paper/app:

Right, now that you have the framework, here’s where you start:

Who am I?
  • On a separate page:
    • draw two overlapping circles titled ‘Interests’ & ‘Skills’
    • jot down all of your natural interests (stuff that interests you) in the interests circle
    • jot down all your natural skills (stuff you’re good at) in the skills circle
    • are there any that sit in both circles? jot them in the overlap
    • you’ve now found your strengths (good at and love to do = strengths)
    • Now add those strengths to the ‘who am I’ circle
  • Next:
    • Ask folk to share with you what they consider to be your top 5 personal characteristics. How do they compare to your own perceptions? These are also strengths – jot ’em down in the ‘who am I’ circle
    • Add the industry-specific knowledge that you’ll want to take with you? Add that too.
  • Now:
    • Think about your values – what’s important to you intrinsically? (you’ll find lots of Values lists in Google Images, see sample below). Pick your top 5 and add these to the ‘who am I’ circle

  • Then:
    • take a walk down memory lane and think about all your past jobs. What were the highs? The lows? What specifically made the highs high and the lows low? Jot them down, then add the highs to your ‘who am I’ circle
  • And:
    • think about what you personally need from your next employment to be at your best e.g. open-door policy, flexibility, team-focused culture etc some of these may overlap with your values – that’s ok. Add them to the circle
  • Finally:
    • what does your time look like? Has it been balanced between work and play? What are your personal and family goals? Where do you see yourself and your family in 5 years, 10 years? Jot these important points down in the ‘where am I going’
    • NB: You can put key findings in more than one circle, this is your mind map and the more information you have, the easier to plan your career and from there, determine your next work target
My Ideal Position

Now craft up what your ideal position should look like. That might go something like this:

  • These are the top 5 strengths I’d like to use moving forward (what I offer)
  • These are the top 5 things I no longer want to do moving forward (what I don’t want)
  • These are the top 5 things I’ll need from my employer in return (my needs)
  • And here’s my top 5 on how I want to feel in my next work (my values)
  • Based on this information my objective is……e.g. to secure a logistics role in a large multinational operation where I can lead a team, the company must have…. and…..(my target)

You’ve now determined your work target. You may have more than one and that’s ok for now you’ll be exploring circle two ‘Where am I Going’ and three ‘How Do I Get There’ to help you refine your target and ultimately land that ideal job.

AND! You now have a comprehensive understanding of yourself and what you offer. You now have the targeted focus for your commercial, your Resume, your LinkedIn profile, your conversation with Recruiters and with your network, PLUS the answers to a myriad of interview questions.

Back to Fred:

Fred: Wow, Jane you may have just saved me from jumping into a job for the sake of a job, this helped me work smarter not harder toward landing my job and now here I am six weeks in and loving it! Let’s stay in touch?

Jane: Congratulations Fred, I’m so thrilled for you (as she fist pumps the sky to another happy camper)

Now be a Fred and go forth and conquer young grasshopper.

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