Cover Letter That Will Land You The Interview?(Let's Find Out)

Are you tired of sending out resume after resume and having no response? Are you frustrated with not getting any job interviews? Well, this blog post is for you! Here are some tips on how to write a killer cover letter that will land you the interview.

The 4 Sentence Cover Letter That Gets You The Job Interview

Takeaways
A well-crafted cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of landing an interview.
Your cover letter should be a concise summary of your skills and experience, highlighting your qualifications for the job.
Personalization is key to writing a successful cover letter. Address the hiring manager by name, mention specific details about the company or job posting, and explain how your skills and experience align with the company’s mission and values.
Tailor your cover letter for each job application to show that you have done your research and are genuinely interested in the opportunity.
Remember to keep your cover letter to one page and include a call-to-action requesting an interview.

Address It To The Hiring Manager

This is important because it shows that you took the time to research your prospective employer and, more importantly, care about them enough to make sure they receive your application with as few middlemen as possible.

It’s also a sign of respect for their time and resources, which is likely what you’ll need from them in the future if you do get an interview (and hopefully land this job).

Don’t write “To Whom it May Concern.” This is a line that can be useful when sending out cold emails or other general communications but not so much when applying for jobs. Your cover letter should reflect your personal connection with whoever will read it:

If there’s no way they would see this document in person before deciding whether or not they want to interview you, then why waste your time submitting one?

To increase your chances of getting the job, make sure to write a cover letter that clearly explains why you are the best fit for the position. Our article on writing a cover letter that explains why you are a good fit can help you craft a winning cover letter.

Customize Each Cover Letter

Customize each cover letter. The first thing anyone should notice about your application is the cover letter. This is a chance for you to make an impression, so use it wisely! If possible, customize every one of your applications by using the name of the hiring manager in that particular job posting.

This shows them that you took the time to find out who they are and how to address them directly. It also gives them a better sense of who they’re reading their applicants’ resumes from, which can help keep things professional throughout the process if you have any further communication with them later on during or after interviews (or if they end up being hired).

Use their job description as a guide for what information should be added to your cover letter: what do their responsibilities entail? What skills does this position require? Which qualities do they value most highly?

These are all questions worth asking yourself before crafting an original piece of writing to send over with each application that goes through HR screening processes like ours here at Watsons!

Use A Formal Business Letter Format

Use the same format for all letters, including cover letters and resumes. Don’t switch things up just because you’re sending an email or snail mail, or because you’re writing to someone in another industry.

Stick to your guns! Remember that consistency is key when it comes to presentation and professionalism. If one of your professional correspondences looks different from another, then it’s not professional at all it’s confusing and unprofessional!

It might seem like extra work at first, but once you get started with this method of formatting business correspondence (and especially if you keep everything in one place), it’ll become second nature before long and you’ll be on your way towards having beautifully-formatted documents ready at all times!

Keep Your Cover Letter Short

A cover letter is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills and show off your personality, but it’s also important to keep in mind that the majority of hiring managers have little time for reading. They’re looking for someone who can communicate what they want in a candidate and won’t waste their time.

The best way to do this is by keeping your cover letter short and sweet. Unless you are applying for a very specific position, such as a food critic or copywriter, there’s no need to get into all the details about why you’re qualified for this particular job opening job-seekers are rarely hired because they have rock-solid credentials

Rather, they’re often chosen based on their talent, work ethic, and personality traits that will fit well with the company culture.

Writing a cover letter that showcases how your skills and experience align with the job requirements can make all the difference in landing an interview. Check out our article on explaining why you are a good match in your cover letter for tips on how to do this effectively.

Proofread Carefully

Use a spell checker. Make sure you’ve double-checked your grammar and punctuation carefully before hitting ‘send.’

Read it aloud. Your brain may have caught mistakes that your eyes missed when you were typing quickly, so slow down and read through it with care.

Get a friend to proofread it or even better, ask two friends who are good at spotting errors to take a look at it. You’ll want to make sure that everything is spelled correctly, all the way down to proper names, titles, and job titles (e.g., “Vice President” instead of “Vp”).

If there’s any confusion about how something should be phrased or written down on paper, now is the time to figure that out before sending off your application materials!

Have Someone Else Read Your Cover Letter For Backup

The last thing you want to do is send off a cover letter that has typos and grammar mistakes in it, especially if the job posting specifically stated they were looking for someone with flawless English. This can make you look unprofessional and careless, even if it wasn’t your fault.

The best way to avoid this is by having someone else read over your cover letter before sending it off. They will be able to flag any errors or issues that might have slipped past the proofreading stage when writing your resume or cover letter.

It doesn’t matter who reads over your work-family members, friends or colleagues are all good options. Just make sure whoever does so isn’t looking at it from their perspective (like parents who don’t understand what types of jobs are available) because sometimes people will see things differently than others

Use Keywords From The Job Description

To increase your chances of landing an interview, use the job description as a guide. Check out the employer’s website and use Google to search for keywords they’ve used in previous job postings. You can also ask friends or family members who work at that company if they know what kinds of jobs are being advertised on their end.

Once you’ve found some keywords, incorporate them into your cover letter! But don’t do this just once use them multiple times throughout your application materials so that the hiring manager sees that you’re familiar with their organization and have done research about their needs (that way, it’ll be clear that you’re invested).

If you are wondering whether cover letters are worth the effort, the answer is yes! A well-written cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of getting an interview. Check out our article on how cover letters can help you land the job to learn more.

Explain Holes In Your Employment History Or Other Issues

If you have been out of work for a while, or if your resume shows gaps in employment, explain the reason. Avoid using any negative language (such as “I was fired”). Instead, provide a positive spin by saying something like:

“After my last job ended, I took some time off to travel around Europe with friends. As a result of this time off, I now have a much better appreciation for the importance of balance between work and personal life.”

Next, explain what steps you took to overcome the issue and how they helped you grow as an employee and person:

“The skills that I developed during my travels have made me much more productive at work now than before.”

Finally, show how this experience has prepared you for success in the role they are hiring for:

Don’t Be Arrogant

This one is obvious, but it bears repeating. If you’re applying for a job, don’t go into the interview thinking about how great you are and how much more qualified you are than anyone else who applied for this position.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t believe in yourself the world needs confident people who know what they want! But if your cover letter comes across as arrogant or full of yourself, employers will likely pass on hiring you.

Take a look at these examples:

“I have been told by everyone who knows me that I am an outstanding employee and would make a great addition to any team” (arrogant)

“I’m confident I could do well in this role because of my experience with marketing campaigns within large companies” (modest)

“My initiative led to increased sales across multiple brands; I’d love the chance to bring those skills back home with me!” (cocky)

“I’m excited about joining your team; let me know if there’s anything else I can send over!” (internally screaming inside)

Make Sure You’re Clear About The Position You’re Applying For

For example, if you’re applying for a role at a PR firm, tell them why you’re interested in the industry and why they should be excited about hiring you. Don’t just say “I’m applying for your marketing assistant position.”

Instead, say something like: “I am interested in marketing because I have always had an interest in figuring out how different companies use PR tactics to reach their audiences.” This way, the hiring manager knows exactly what they are getting with you as an employee.

You can also expand on this by explaining what excites you about working at this particular company or role and how your past work experience will help them accomplish their goals.

For example: “I am excited about joining your team because I have worked with several small businesses before and know how important it is for companies like yours to stay connected with customers through social media channels.”

Writing a great cover letter can be challenging, but our expert guide on how to write a cover letter can help. From formatting to content, we provide tips and tricks to help you craft a compelling cover letter that showcases your skills and experience.

Offer Value

Don’t just tell your potential employer that you’re a hard worker, show them. Demonstrate your work ethic and drive by highlighting some of how you’ve added value to previous organizations or employers.

Showcase your skills and experience. The more specific and concretely, the better! For example: “I worked as an Account Manager at XYZ Marketing for three years; during my time there I successfully acquired 24 new clients for our company.”

This tells an employer that not only do you know how to sell, but also that you’re good at it and can bring those skills along with you into their organization if they hire you!

Showcase your achievements: Did someone recognize your efforts? Did another employee credit their success on something they learned from working with you?

Did someone write a blog post about how awesome something was that only happened because of one of your ideas? Include any accolades or awards big or small in this section so every potential employer knows exactly what kind of impact they’d have if they hired YOU!

Don’t Use Tired Opening Lines

The opening line of your cover letter is going to be the first thing the hiring manager sees. And if it’s boring or formulaic, then you’re not going to get far with them. So, what are some ways that you can come up with an opening line that will make your application stand out?

First off, don’t use any tired openings like: “I am writing in response to your ad.” Or: “I am writing to apply for the position of” (e.g., receptionist). Or: “I am writing to express my interest in” (e.g., working at a company). Or even worse: “I am writing to inquire about” something (whatever it may be).

All these phrases have been overused so much that they don’t add anything new or insightful about who you are, and they also give off a vibe of laziness because they’re so predictable!

Introduce Yourself With An Impressive Fact Or Achievement

Do you have a recent accomplishment to brag about? Mention it! Are you an expert in a specific field, or maybe a particularly skilled hobbyist? Say so. Do you have a skill that could be useful for the job, like speaking another language or owning a car that can haul large items? Tell them about it!

For example: “I managed to take my favorite project from idea to reality and got promoted for my efforts.” Or: “As part of our community service program at work, I led a team of volunteers who raised enough money to buy coats for homeless children.”

Show Your Personality (But Don’t Be Unprofessional)

Be funny, but don’t be silly.

Surprising your reader with a joke or a funny anecdote is great and not just because it’ll make them laugh. A good sense of humor is a sign of intelligence and creativity, making you more attractive as an applicant.

But if your cover letter is riddled with corny jokes, you risk coming across as unprofessional or too informal (even if they were funny). Get the balance right by using a little bit of humor here and there but never take things too far; you want to show that your personality can shine through when needed without coming across as overly goofy or silly.

Don’t underestimate the power of a well-crafted cover letter. A great cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates and make a strong impression on the hiring manager. Check out our article on how much of a difference a cover letter can make to learn more about why a cover letter is an essential part of your job application.

List Ways You Add Value

This is the place to list all of your skills, accomplishments, and abilities. Be specific, relevant, and concise. Be genuine. Be honest. Be confident. Write articulately; don’t use slang or slang terms that you wouldn’t use in a formal setting (e.g., “you guys”). And keep it professional!

As you write this section of your cover letter, do so with the same level of detail as you would if you were answering an interviewer’s questions face-to-face or over the phone:

What did I do?
Why did I do it?
How did I make a difference?

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that your cover letter is a chance to show off why you’re the best candidate for the job.

It’s not just about listing your qualifications it’s also about showing off who you are as a person, and how you’ll fit into the company culture. Keep these tips in mind as you write your cover letter and prepare for interviews, and you’ll be able to land yourself an interview every time!

FAQs

What should I include in my cover letter?

Your cover letter should include a brief introduction about yourself and why you’re applying for the job, an explanation of how your skills and experience make you a good fit for the position, and a call-to-action requesting an interview.

How long should my cover letter be?

Your cover letter should be no longer than one page. It should be a concise summary of your skills and experience, highlighting your qualifications for the job.

Should I include my salary requirements in my cover letter?

No, you should not include your salary requirements in your cover letter. This is typically discussed during the interview process.

How can I personalize my cover letter?

You can personalize your cover letter by addressing the hiring manager by name, mentioning specific details about the company or job posting, and explaining how your skills and experience align with the company’s mission and values.

Can I reuse the same cover letter for multiple job applications?

No, you should tailor your cover letter for each job application. This shows that you have taken the time to research the company and position and are genuinely interested in the opportunity.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.

Cover Letter That Will Land You The Interview?(Let’s Find Out)