Cover letter? We've got it covered.

Ah, the elusive cover letter. It's not much fun to write and people often make mistakes, but learn to do it well and the reward will be great.

TopResume's career advice expert Amanda Augustine shared some tips with Business Insider on best cover letter practices, emphasizing research to personalize your cover letter for the hiring manager.

“Re-read the job description carefully. Depending upon where you found the role, the person who posted the position may be linked to the listing,” says Augustine.

Here's how to write the coveted cover letter for a job:

1. Don't restate your entire resume

The recruiter already has your resume, so there's no need to rehash your entire work history in your cover letter. This is often a turn-off for employers who are sick of letters that merely summarize their candidates' resumes. Consequently, they see no need to read them.

Augustine recommends, “Use your opening documentation to demonstrate your understanding of the company's position in the marketplace and its needs, and then highlight your experiences and accomplishments that speak to these requirements.”

2. Use the hiring manager's name, if possible

People like personalization. Using the hiring manager's name shows you did your research.

Companies and recruiters often post their positions in more than one place. Run a Google search for a portion of the job description in quotation marks. Or, if you know the name of the recruiting agency that's running the search, take a look at its company site. If the group is small enough, it may have each recruiter's bio listed.


3. Use the “T” format

You don't have to reinvent the wheel here. The main components of your cover letter don't really change. Follow what I like to call the “t-format”:

  • First Section: Introduce yourself and state why you are interested in the position. Show you've done a background check and are knowledgeable about the company or industry.



Related: Ask Amanda: How Do I Write a Great Cover Letter?

4. Choose the top three requirements that match your experience

The hiring company is going to list out a bunch of ideal skills. Don't be intimidated. Make a list of all of the qualifications mentioned in the job posting under a header called “Your Needs.” Then, make a list of all of your skills in a column called “My Qualifications.” Simply pick the top three skills in the “Your Needs” column that match up with skills in the “My Qualifications” column and write a little blurb for each.

Focus on past examples of your work that show how you meet each of the hiring manager's needs.

5. Don't make your cover letter generic!

Boilerplate is not the way to go. You need to tailor your cover letter to speak specifically to each company's needs.

Augustine says, “While your introduction may not be as specific as it would be for a position where the employer was known, this doesn't give you license to use a generic template for the main sections of your cover letter.”



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