By Frances Cole Jones
At the moment, post-secondary graduates nationwide are sending out effective cover letters. Many of which come to me for pre-sending inspection.
Here is a list of three things every graduate should keep in mind when writing effective cover letters.
- HR Directors aren’t there to make your dreams come true. Don’t begin by saying what you hope to gain by joining their firm, or that you’re sure a career in X will fulfill your goals/meet your expectations. Instead, state in your opening paragraph how and why your skills/experience/education are going to make their life better. For example, “Your job description states you are looking for someone who can do X. Not only can I do X, but I can do Y.”
- Have the values/skills you claim you have. Don’t say you’re a go-getter… but never follow up after sending one cover letter. Also, don’t say you have a strong network in banking if you’ve only held internship positions. And don’t claim you have tech skills that can be checked by someone saying, “Let’s have you take a crack at this right now.” Paragraph two should give specifics about the actual values and skills you embody/possess.
- Close with your hard and soft skill mix. Companies frequently have several choices about who CAN do the job (the hard skills) so their choice becomes: which candidate will be a good team member/colleague? (the soft skills) Consequently, I recommend closing your letter with the phrase, “Given my work experience, my education, and my life experience, I believe I have the combination of hard and soft skills required to add immediate value to your firm.”
Since HR Directors know most students get help with their resumes, effective cover letters are looked at even more closely. Following these three rules ensures yours will stand up to scrutiny. So, get writing!
