Do you need a great cover letter to back up your resume?
Are you wondering what you're even supposed to say in your cover letter to
effectively communicate what you have to offer?
if so, tune in, because in this video you'll learn five cover letter hacks
that will help you set yourself apart and sell your best self and hey if
you're looking to land that ultimate role stay around and tell the end to
learn how you and I can work together to help you land the position you've always
wanted and if we've never met before I'm Heather Austin from ProfessorAustin.com
comm and The Career Club on Facebook and on this channel I teach simple solutions
to help you launch a career you love so if you're new here don't forget to
subscribe and hit that bell notification down below so you're notified when I
publish a new video every week. The dreaded topic of cover letters. I get
questions all the time about cover letters. "Do I even need a cover letter?"
"What am I supposed to say?" "How do I write one that helps me stand out?" The thing is...
Cover letters are still used by hiring officials to make decisions like who
they should bring in for an interview or what type of compensation package should
they offer the potential employee. Now you won't need a cover letter in every
situation, however having one ready to go will eliminate some of the stress
involved and will help you properly sell yourself. So let's jump into it. Tip
number one is to format your cover letter strategically. The look and feel
of your cover letter should match the look and feel of your resume so if you
have your name in big bold font with your contact information right below
that on your resume, place that same information on your cover letter. This
will let the hired official know that these two documents go together. After
your name and contact information, include the date and then the contact
information for the hiring official. Then add a customized greeting like "Dear Mr.
John Doe" and if you're unable to find the name of the hiring official you can
put something like "Dear Hiring Manager" and if you're wondering how to create a
winning resume to go along with your knock out cover letter, I created a video
that will help you do just that. I'll go ahead and link
it up below. Tip number two, include a strong introductory paragraph. You want
to start with a strong introductory sentence that explains what position you
are applying for and exhibits the passion you have for the company and the
position. Now you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the hiring
official, so you don't want to start with a generic statement like, "please accept
this letter as application for the position of..". Rather mention why you want
to work for the company and what makes the company unique to you. Tip number
three, show them that you are the solution. In the second paragraph, explain
how your skills and expertise are the perfect match for the position. Pinpoint
your most relevant qualifications and your most important career
accomplishments and discuss them in detail. This will clearly demonstrate
what you can bring to the position and how you are the solution the company is
looking for and to gain greater insight into what the company's pain points are,
make sure you review the job posting carefully and review the company's
website and their activity on social media. This will also help you place
important key words and phrases throughout your cover letter. Tip number
four, share your story. Now is the time to explain your skills and talents in
action. To really stand out from all the other candidates, include a story about
you that relates to the position you are applying for. Give clear and direct
examples of your greatest accomplishments. Today more than ever you
need to show your reader who you really are.
You could even include a funny story. Humor is a great way to captivate your
audience, just make sure that you include your skills your expertise and your
talents in the story. Tip number five, give a call to action. In the final
paragraph of your cover letter, include a clear and concise conclusion that gives
some type of call to action such as a reference to your resume or an
invitation for an interview or a time that works best for you to talk. The
purpose of the call to action is to get the hiring official to take some type of
action and to let them know that you are excited and eager about the opportunity.
You want to then enter with a nice friendly close such as
"warm regards" and then sign your name. Now if you're interested in working with me
one on one to help you land that ultimate dream job, take a look at
ProfessorAustin.com, where I'm now accepting applications into my
one-on-one coaching program. I'll go ahead and link that up below and if you
found this video useful be sure to hit the like button down below. If you know
anyone that might benefit from this video, please share it with them and of
course don't forget to subscribe and I will see you in the next video