HELP ME with Cover Letters

Dear JobSOS:

I can’t seem to figure out how to write my cover letter properly.  I draw a blank when I try to write one and it ends up making me frustrated!  What is the simplest way to write one?

Help Me with Cover Letters!

Dear Help Me:

Sunny:  We hear this complaint all the time and cover letters can be very difficult to write.  I think this is because it’s hard to know exactly what the employer is looking for, and you don’t want to write too much or too little – so it can be hard to determine what exactly should go in your cover letter.  The body of the letter seems to be the most difficult.  You may want to try and pull out the most important items from the job posting and then compare your skills/experience and think about how you meet the requirements of the employer.  The cover letter should draw attention to your resume but not repeat everything that is in your resume.

Sassy:  It’s pretty straight forward; you read the job posting and write about how you have the skills, experience, and educational background the employer is looking for.  Think of examples from past employment where you have used the skills that the employer is looking for. 

 

For example: 

“I have excellent customer service skills and extensive experience in the Hospitality industry. This is demonstrated from my long-term employment with Browns Social House where I exceeded sales targets and received positive feedback from customers on a regular basis.”

Pretend that you are the employer when you read through your cover letter and make changes as you see fit.  Would YOU hire you?

Sunny:  Exactly!  If you read it like you’re the hiring manager, you will find mistakes easier and be able to add things that you would want to see.  Of course, as I mentioned above, use the job posting as a reference.