Should I, should I not write a cover letter with my resume? The answer to that question is yes, even when it is not specified in the job ad or the company tell you that it is not necessary. You will because you want to prove them that you take the time to explain how valuable you will be for their team. So hang on, we are going to share with you the best practices to stand out and make a difference with your cover letter.
Why a cover letter?
But first, let us explain to you why it is vital to write a cover letter and a good one! You may think that your resume is self-sufficient because it demonstrates all your career path and your professional skills, but it’s not. Your cover letter is here to show your personality, your achievements and most importantly why you want to work with this company and why they should choose you. In Canada, socializing aspect is essential; you don’t get hired only on your professional skills but also on your personality. The cover letter is the perfect tool to make the recruiter meeting you. It is the moment to shine so go for it!
Make it personal
It starts by naming correctly the person who is in charge of the recruitment. Don’t go for the basic “Sir” and “Madam,” try to find the name of the HR manager. If this information is not in the job ad, look for the company name, use LinkedIn or the social media. If you want to be sure, make a quick call to the company and ask! The point of a cover letter is to make them feel unique, and it begins by knowing the name of the person who will receive your message.
We assumed that it took you time to find on the internet the companies you want to work for. You went on their websites, through their portfolios, client's cases and on which projects they are working on. You chose them for a reason: you only love what they’re doing. This “love,” this enthusiasm has to be in the cover letter. Talk about what they achieved, their values, their projects. Give them a specific example of how and why your experience and/or personality will contribute to their work.
Spotlight your personal brand
Now that we’ve talked about them, it is time to put you on stage! Go through the job post again and focus on the skills they are looking for. Pick 2 or 3 of them and explain what you can bring that will help them to increase their productivity. Explain it with professional and personal examples: if one of the qualifications is having a strong team spirit, and you play a team sport, write it. You love nature and environment, and the job offer is related to that, illustrate with your commitment to this cause. This part is about you; it is important that the hire manager feels that you fit the job.
Also, talking about what you like is a good way to connect with the recruiter, they might like the same thing as you. Once again, social skills are essential in Canada don’t hesitate to share what you are passionate about.
Social media can be very useful too. If you are involved on Twitter, Instagram or if you have a blog where you talk about some topics that the company is also engaged in, you should talk about it in your cover letter and put the link to your blog or social media. It will bring out your credibility, and the hiring manager will see that you are very committed to this subject as his company is.
End it smartly
You put so much energy to write your letter that you have to finish it properly. Again, don’t use a basic sentence that everyone uses to close a letter. You made them feel special from the beginning; it has to be so until the end. Suggest that you would love to meet them and share ideas about their current projects, insist on the fact that it will be a great opportunity for you to be part of their company. Finally, wish them luck and success for the future, it is a kind way to finish your cover letter, and it won’t go unnoticed.
So, to write a good cover letter you have to :
- Personalize it: name the hiring manager and show that you know what they’re doing and demonstrate by examples
- Share your story: Any examples that can be related to the job description should appear in your letter. Also, it is a nice way to connect with the recruiter.
- End it kindly: One last more, communicate your desire to be part of their team and hope for them a successful future.
- Organize it: create structured paragraphs, try to be punchy and not to exceed one page.
Now that we worked hard on how to stand out with your cover letter, you have to be on point with your resume. Our last article: 7 tips to create a good resume will help you with that.