Spring has sprung and the time has come when everyone is starting to frantically apply for summer jobs in the hopes to be able to afford the necessary groceries, textbooks, and late night uber rides for the fall semester.
You may think that applying for a summer job is as simple as e-mailing out your resume to every store in the mall, but there’s a lot more to it if you actually want to get an interview. Every employer, from that law firm you’re hoping to intern at, all the way down to the Tim Hortons down the street, likes to see cover letters attached to every application.
Now, this doesn’t mean that sending some generic cover letter template (that you found on google) will automatically guarantee you an interview. Employers want to see a passionate, creative, and informative summary of your strengths and relevant work/volunteer experience.
Here are 5 tips to help you write a stellar cover letter:
1. Customize
It’s good practice to familiarize yourself with the job description of the position you are applying for. As you’re doing this, look out for key words that you can are being stressed by the company. For instance, some companies focus on making connections with their clients, but other companies may be looking for employees who will consistently reach or surpass their sales goals. You should make sure that your cover letter mentions the instances in which you have acted in ways your potential employer is looking out for.
2. Word Count
A good cover letter should be longer than a paragraph, but shouldn’t read as a novel either. In general, keep your cover letter to around 300 – 500 words, be sure not to exceed one page- no one wants to read an entire page of nothing but #humblebrag.
3. Diction
To make your cover letter as effective as possible, use words that can sum up the level of skill, passion, and commitment you have demonstrated in your previous endeavors. Consider using one or more of the following:
- Launched
- Managed
- Coordinated
- Achieved
- Implemented
- Negotiated
- Generated
- Produced
- Identified
- Expanded
- Influenced
4. Tone
There’s no need to sound like a monotonous robot when outlining your accomplishments! Sounding too formal in your cover letter makes you seem inauthentic and can sometimes depersonalize you. Cover letters allow for you to advertise how great of a fit you’d be for a position, so make sure your excitement comes across to the person on the other side of the letter.
5. Meta-analysis
When writing the main body of your cover letter, avoid rattling off a superfluous amount of accomplishments and awards. Instead, pick a few that align with the company’s mission and briefly describe the steps you took to achieve them. Most importantly, reflect on these experiences! Outline what you learned, how you grew, and what was done well. Ideally, you’d like for each of your chosen events to link back to how you would be a valuable addition to the company.
Voilà! Now you’re well on your way to writing a bomb cover letter that’ll be sure to encourage employers to give your application a closer look!