Get Hired! 5 Ways to Improve Your Cover Letter

The old saying is true: “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”  But when it comes to seeking employment, your first impression is unlikely to be the one you make face to face.  There are hurdles you have to jump before you even get to the interview.  Standing in your way is the dreaded cover letter; a faceless piece of paper that confronts your prospective employer well before you’ll have the chance to.  And that piece of paper may well determine whether you’ll ever get to meet that employer at all.  That’s a daunting proposition.

But let’s look at the glass as half full; this is a step in the employment process that many overlook, so let’s find a way to be proactive and make your cover letter stand out among the rest.  We asked the Hatch team, “What are 5 things you can do to improve your cover letter and improve your chances of getting you that interview?”

1.  Give information in the cover letter that can’t be found in the resume.  This may sound obvious, but all too often cover letters are simply a rehash of the resume.  This is your chance to peak the interest of your prospective employer.  What they don’t want to see is a list of your former duties and responsibilities.  Grab their attention from the get-go and compel them to move on to your resume.

2.  Describe what makes you more appealing than all of the other candidates out there.  “I’m perfect for this job and here’s why!”  And while you’re at it, use the language from the job description.  If that description uses such language as “self-starter” or “highly organized” of “multi-tasking” incorporate it into your own description.

3.  Brag about yourself.  Let’s face it, at this point no one else is going to do it for you.  If you’re not excited about your candidacy, the employer certainly isn’t going to be.  But be specific; don’t go on and on about assets that don’t apply to this job, rather list extraordinary accomplishments and talents that will lend themselves to this specific position.

4.  Express why you want THIS job.  If you’ve sent out a generic cover letter, they’ll sniff it out in a moment and into the paper shredder it will go.  Why do you want this job and why do you want to work for this company?  Be effusive and positive in the language you use.  Presumably the company from which you are trying to attain employment thinks they’re a pretty good place to work, so make sure they know that this job is more desirable than all the other ones out there.

5.  Keep it short.  Remember, this is an introduction so don’t try to sell them all at once; your resume and interview are still to come.  Your cover letter is designed to grab their attention and move you on to the next step.  Paragraphs should be short, no more than three sentences.  Like your resume, you want to keep the reader moving through the whole document.

With these things in mind, give your cover letter a face-lift and make your first impression a lasting one!

Get Hired! 5 Ways To Improve Your Resume

Your resume won’t necessarily get you the job, but it just might get you the interview.  It’s the first thing a prospective employer is going to see and it’s your first chance to make a good impression.  So we put the question to the Hatch staff; what are five things you can do to improve your resume and your chances of getting hired?

1. Articulate accomplishments and results over tasks, responsibilities and jobs.  Resumes can get bogged down with long lists of things you were required to do on a daily basis, but your next employer doesn’t want to read about those tasks.  Focus on putting forth your accomplishments.  List the things that you did for the company that showed initiative and going above and beyond.

2. Along the same line, share positive numbers on your resume.  Did you lead a project that led to growth?  Back it up with numbers, especially if that growth exceeded expectations.  Did you research something that saved your company money?  How effective was that plan and how much did it save?  Did you go out of your way to take on a special project?  Tell us about it and what it did for the company.   Did you improve a process?  Back it up with figures.  Again, list results and awards, not just duties.  And use dynamic, positive language.  “Leading” a team is more active than “managing” a team.  Make sure the language you’re using puts you in a positive light.

3. Be professional.  Remember, your resume is your calling card, so make sure that it sends the right message.  Have clearly defined concise areas separated by lines and a format that draws the eye of the reader from the top to the bottom of your resume. Use bullet points and keep things concise.  Too much text will turn off the screener and you want to keep him interested in reading your whole resume.

4. Have a specific objective.  You must not send out generic resumes to company after company.  Do your homework and learn everything you can about the position you are applying for, then tailor your resume to that end.  Your objective should be to have the person reading your resume see you in that position.  Look at what the client is looking for and focus on your strengths that apply to that position.  Conversely, you may consider cutting items from your resume that don’t apply to the job.

5. And this should go without saying, but PROOF READ!  The amount of resumes that get sent out with spelling and grammatical errors is stunning.  Before sending out your resume to all of those employers your dying to work for, send it on to someone you trust to look it over.  It’s easy to miss things with which you are familiar so get a fresh set eyes.  And remember, your resume won’t do you any good if you forgot to update your contact information.

And have an adult email address.  partyongarth@gmail.com might just get your resume thrown in the trash.

Now get cracking on that new resume!