Ashley Stahl
Cover letters are as important as ever in the job search. Here are three ways to make sure you use ...
When any given job can receive up to 200 applicants, crafting a compelling cover letter can take your application to the next level and help you land your dream job.
While LinkedIn “Easy Apply” filters give the illusion that cover letters are obsolete, 83% of recruiters still say that a great cover letter can help you stand out and make it to the interview round. In short, maybe it won’t get read, but its existence is seen favorably.
Along with attaching your cover letter as a PDF or Word Document, an interest statement in the body of an email can make sure you get your recruiter’s attention because you save their time by not making them open two attachments. Yes, it’s that simple, and it can be a gamechanger.
Here are three tips for writing a standout emailed cover letter.
1. Be ATS conscious without keyword stuffingATS or Applicant Tracking Systems have been around since the 1990s, but with more and more developments in tech and AI, these softwares are doing more of the heavy-lifting when it comes to the recruitment and hiring process. In fact, it’s said that up to 75% of applications are never reviewed by a set of human eyes.
As an applicant, this means you need to be conscious of ATS when you’re writing your cover letter (whether that be in the body of an email or as an attached document).
There are certain keywords and phrases that are important to include so that your application is detected by these systems; however, you can’t craft a cover letter only with ATS in mind.
Think of ATS as the gatekeeper: you want to include enough keywords so that your application makes it through, but ultimately, the goal is to reach the human recruiter who will eventually interview and hire you.
2. Keep it concise and colorfulAn email cover letter should add a personal touch to your application that clearly explains why you’re the right candidate— and cover letters that exist in the body of an email should be even shorter than traditional PDF or Word Document cover letters, which means closer to 200 words and definitely no longer than 400 words.
Email cover letters should highlight the meat of your cover letter. It’s where you can briefly share specific skills, strengths, and relevant metrics and goals that will be of interest to your hirer.
Keeping the word count down while still getting your point across is an art, so read and reread until you’ve cut all the fluff. Not sure where you can trim? Ask a friend to proofread. Another set of eyes can help you get a different perspective.
3. Address the email to an actual personPersonalizing your cover letter as much as possible is a tip as old as time, and it’s still as useful as ever. Addressing your interest statement to a specific person shows that you care about the application enough to pay attention to the detail.
Especially in 2023 when it’s possible to fire off dozens of applications in a single day, job applicants who take the time to individualize their cover letter immediately fly off the page. In fact, a cover letter is often a document that gets viewed when a recruiter is on the fence about you– so it comes in and counts when you need it most!
Do your research and find out who at the company will be on the receiving end of your application. For extra points, find the recruiter on LinkedIn and send them a message telling them you’re looking forward to hearing back!
Every detail counts
Even with the help of ATS, recruiters are juggling hundreds of applicants for a single job opening. As an applicant, this means anything you do to cut to the chase and make their lives easier can help you land a job interview.
When it comes to the job search, every detail counts. Instead of shooting off a higher volume of applications with the hope of a follow-up, paying more attention to the details— like what you include in the body of an email— can resonate with recruiters and help you achieve your goals.
Source: https: forbes.com
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