Currently I work as a temp doing web development/design for a local business (approx. 450 employees). I’ve been here for a year, following a few years of spotty employment here and there, before which I was employed here full time for a little over two years.
Another business in the area (national company with roots here in VT) is looking to hire a senior web developer. I’m only slightly underqualified based on the job posting, but I really think I could do it, and would be extatic to work for this other company.
I’ve got a resume that I’m mostly happy with, but I really struggle with cover letters. I just feel like all I say is, “dear sir or madam, I really want to work for your company. Look at the attached resume for qualifications.”
Nothing special, nothing captivating. Does anyone have any suggestions on what sorts of things might be good to talk about in a cover letter. Like I said before, I’m slightly under-qualified, so I really feel like the cover letter is going to be important here.
Use the cover letter to explain how exactly your qualifications match their needs. They need someone who has experience doing web design? Describe/List/Explain your experience doing web design. they need a person with experience managing other people–describe/list/explain your experience.
Depending on who you believe, they won’t read the cover letter unless the resume convinces them you might have something to offer, so use the cover letter as an ad which says “I’ve got Experience, I’ve got Talent, I’ve Got Ambition and Drive” and talk a bit about them, too. Don’t quote too much from their ad, but check out their website or other infomation abou them and use that to help shape your information.
Advice I don’t neccessarily follow, but which I believe to be sound.
I’ve hired a lot of people, and been hired my share of times.
Here’s a tip:
Use many of the key words from their employment ad. Especially, if they have generic words like “team” and “friendly”, try to work them in.
The hirers never recall exactly what they put in their ad, so they won’t think you are sucking up. Yet, those are the words they are in love with, so when you use them they think that you are somehow of the same mind as them.
IMO, a cover letter generally should be three short paragraphs (1-3 sentences each) and say:
P.1: (Intro) Enclosed please find [list application materials, resume, application, whatever], which I submit as my application for the position of [specific position title] in [specific division of company].
P.2: (Meat of letter) As my resume reflects, I can do X,Y,Z [job skills]. I am also A,B,C [personal skills]. I am interested in the opportunity to work for company because [short clear statement].
[The tip to use the buzz words in the ad is a good one, so long as it’s not obvious. Some people certainly do remember what their ad says. It’s also a very good idea to research the company a bit and tailor the letter to the work they do. Canned cover letters sound as stale as they all. I’ve had many people apply to work in our “firm”. We’re a government agency; we’re not a firm.]
P.3: (Conclusion) If you would like more information regarding my qualifications, please feel free to contact me at your convenience. Thank you for your consideration of my application.
A cover letter is just that – a cover for your resume, which is the meat of your application. Some company’s don’t even read cover letters – especially if they get a high volume of applications. A cover letter is a minefield, in that if it is inarticulate, inartfully done, sloppy, overlong, or has mistakes in it, it will almost certainly count against you, but even if it’s letter perfect it probably doesn’t help you all that much. That’s the best reason IMO that a cover letter should be short, to the point, and look clean and uncrowded on the page.