Recruiters can get a good sense of a job seeker from scanning a well written resume that illustrates a skill set, work timeline, education and job experience. Accompanying this resume should be a simple cover letter that sets the tone and places the resume in the context of the specific job and the company. A cover letter that accompanies the resume does not have to be complicated or complex. Since the purpose of the cover letter is to focus the recruiter’s attention and add your personal voice to your resume, all you need is a simple cover letter to give this fuller picture of you as an applicant. These guidelines will help you pump up the marketing volume even in a simple cover letter.
Header on a simple cover letter should match header on a resume
This is easy to do with a simple cut and paste function. If you have the same header on your resume and your cover letter, it gives the same professional finish of having your own personal letter head stationery.
The header on your resume already includes address, name and contact information so there is no reason to not use it on a cover letter.
A simple opening statement in the cover letter should say how you found out about the position
Recruiters like to know how you connected with their company. A statement in the opening sentence of the cover letter will achieve this. If you were referred by someone specific, this is a good place to share that information. Don’t forget to also identify the position for which you are applying.
Refer to your resume, but highlight specifics in your cover letter
The second paragraph is where you connect your skill set, education and work experience to the company. To keep the cover letter simple, identify the top three, most relevant, things you want the recruiter to know about you, relevant to the job. These three bullet points will end up in the middle of your cover letter and will be easy to read.
A simple cover letter should still have the company name used at least three times
Although you are keeping the cover letter simple, you still want to strategically connect with the company. One way to do that in a cover letter is to mention the company name in the salutatory address information, in the opening paragraph and in the closing paragraph.
Avoid “To Whom it May Concern” in the cover letter
Remember that your goal is to get more “personal” in the cover letter than you can in the resume. You should address your cover letter to someone specific. A little company research will usually get you the name of a specific to whom you can address your cover letter. If after doing your company research you do not have a hiring manager’s name, find the name of the Director of Human Resources. If all your research fails you, use ‘Dear Hiring Manager.”
Closing a cover letter
No matter how simple you make your cover letter, the closing must be strong. It is perfectly legitimate to close your cover letter by stating your plan to follow up if you do not hear a response by a certain time. Include your email and phone number right in the closing section of your cover letter.
