Cover Letters and Objectives
Your First Impression
Stop and consider for a moment what the primary goal is of writing your cover letter. The first goal is to get the hiring manager to read your resume and the secondary goal is to get them to invite you for an interview. With that in mind, your cover letter should be written with these two facts in mind. In most cases, your cover letter should enhance the objective statement on your resume. Here are some of the ways that you can turn your resume objective into a strong cover letter.
Keywords
First, think about the position that you are applying for and how it fits into the larger corporate structure of the company. Consider what impact that position has on the company and how your skills would enhance the possibilities that are related to that role. The keywords that go with jobs could be "team work", "collaboration", "writing skills" or other words that are important to the job. These should be carefully worked into your cover letter. For example if you are applying for a role as a team lead you could consider something on this line:
As a member of (xyz team) I was instrumental in helping to solve (problem/problems) within the team. As a result of our ability to come together and collaborate on (project) we were able to (result of project). The skills I learned during this team effort now enable me to (highlight skill) which I believe is instrumental in (promotion of what?).
Action Verbs
The stronger the verbs in your cover letter, the higher the likelihood of your being invited for an interview. Always keep in mind that potential employers are interested in hiring someone with a strong background of accomplishments in their field. Even if the field that you are applying for is not the same as your current field, use action verbs to carefully outline your strengths.
Promote Action
A well written cover letter should encourage a potential employer to contact you for a face to face interview. However, they will not always do this without your promoting that idea. In your cover letter closing paragraph there are a few ways you can encourage immediate action, they include:
Comments
o I look forward to hearing from you soon
o I look forward to speaking with you regarding this position
o Since I am confident that my skills line up with your expectations, I am eagerly anticipating meeting with you to discuss this position further
Statements
o Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I will contact you on (date) to discuss a mutually acceptable time for a face to face interview
o Thank you for reviewing my resume. I will call you on (date) and look forward to setting up a date and time to meet with you
Summary
In the current economic climate there are those who believe that this is an employer's market. For many, this is true, however you can turn this into an employee's market if you utilize your cover letter and resume ensuring that you have the best possible chance to obtain the interview of your dreams.