This infographic discusses 15 best practices for cover letters. It highlights important elements that could make your cover letter stand out.
15 Best Practices for Cover Letters – Infographic
1. Authenticity
Show genuine interest in the company and the job that you are applying for.
2. Customization
Your cover letter should be customized or tailored for a specific job.
3. Bulleted
Use bullet points to highlight your best qualities.
4. Brevity
Be brief, no more than three paragraphs.
5. Quantified
Quantify your results and accomplishments – include statistics, quantities, numbers and percentages.
6. Targeted
Address your cover letter to a specific person – do some research and if all else fails, address it to “Dear Hiring Manager.”
7. Logical
Logically organize your cover letter: beginning/introduction, middle and end/closing.
8. Demonstrable
Say and show: say what you can offer to the new job and show examples that you are actually good at solving problems.
9. Keyword Density
Use keywords smartly – don’t simply sprinkle keywords around, create context around the keywords with specific examples of the keyword in action.
10. Selling Yourself
Show your unique selling proposition (USP) – Why you? Why should you be hired?
11. Well Formatted
Your cover letter should be well formatted, use similar fonts, good layout, well balanced paragraphs, heading to match your resume etc.
12. Action Verbs
Use power words/action words in your cover letter such as developed, solved, designed, innovated, diagnosed, increased, marketed, sold, led, managed, supervised etc.
13. Proofread
Do not over-rely on spell checkers – proofread your cover letter at least twice.
14. Compliant
Check the job posting carefully to see if there are any specific items that should be addressed on your cover letter (these items could be tests by employers to find out your attention to detail and how well you follow directions).
15. Attached
Always double-check not only if you have attached your cover letter and resume but also confirm that you have attached the correct documents by opening them up and taking a look.
Summary
Article Name
15 Best Practices for Cover Letters - Infographic
Description
This infographic discusses 15 best practices for cover letters. It highlights important elements that could make your cover letter stand out.
Author
Duncan Muguku
Publisher Name
ThriveYard
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