Sep 15, 2021

The Best Cover Letter Tips 2021

A cover letter is crucial to the job application process and is your first shot at creating a positive impression upon the hiring manager. Especially in this era of virtual interviews and onboarding, guess how much time it takes for a hiring manager to form a first impression of you?

7 seconds!

That’s right, it takes all of 7 seconds for someone who’s never met you in person to decide if they want to interview you for an open position! So, how do you put your best foot forward virtually to ensure that your job application stands out enough to warrant an interview? Hold on while we take you through some great cover letter examples, cover letter templates and some of the best cover letter formats that you can use while applying for open positions.

Creative cover letter opening sentence examples

In order to write an attention-grabbing cover letter, you need to ensure that you have captured the attention of the hiring manager from the very first line. It’s easy to fall into the tried and tested opening line, “Dear Hiring Manager, In response to your job advertisement…”. Remember that hiring managers see hundreds of similar cover letters and it’s easy for yours to fall through the cracks even if you’re the most qualified person for the role.

Keep your cover letter professional, but not boring. The lines however can get blurry when you’re trying not to be boring – remember that you’re still a professional. Here are some creative cover letter opening sentence examples that we have compiled which may help you when you’re writing one of your own.

Use powerful and impactful words, for example – “Financial analysis, project management, and research are my passions and areas of expertise. Not only are these my passions, but also, I believe these skills are the foundation for any project management professional. As an analytical financial manager, I excel at extracting data to understand where the company’s focus should be”.

If you want to add some humor and stay professional at the same time, here’s another great example – “I’ve been giving my friends and family fashion advice since I was 10 years old, and recently decided that it’s time I get paid for it. That’s why when I saw an opening for a Personal Stylist with ABC, I knew I had to take this opportunity”.

Here’s another one that’s lighthearted yet conveys ambition and drive – “When I was younger my big dream was to be a living statue on the street and entertain people. Thankfully, my aspirations have grown a little over the years, but the love that I have in drawing a crowd and entertaining people never vanished. And these are some of my passions that would make me a great community manager”.

Attention-grabbing cover letter examples

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the best cover letters need planning and take time and effort. Your resume lays out all the facts and figures related to your work experience, but it’s the cover letter that helps convey your personality. This makes it vital for you to write a cover letter that will make you memorable and maybe even land your dream job! Let’s take a quick look at how you can structure your cover letter template to make sure that you stand out among thousands of other applicants.

Here’s an easy-to-remember template that will aid you when you’re crafting your own cover letter:

• Keep your introduction memorable. As we mentioned earlier, stay professional, but remember that you can also have a bit of fun with your introduction.
• Give specific and organized examples of relevant work experience and the various problems that you may have solved in a similar position.
• Give a concise conclusion to your cover letter with a call-to-action.

Remember to address the person to whom you’re writing the cover letter. It’s perfectly fine to say, “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam” and many people address their cover letters in a similar manner. But, if you take a bit of time to look up the job poster on LinkedIn and address them by name, it shows that you’ve done your due diligence. Remember that if you are unable to find the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter, you could also address the cover letter to “Dear Hiring Manager”.

Take a look at this fine example of a cover letter format: “Dear Mr. Mark, I am excited about the project management role open at XYZ Ltd. Your job post mentions the upcoming employee onboarding project. This particularly stood out to me as I recently wrapped up a similar project where I managed a team of four to deliver a new employee training program”. Don’t forget to add the relevant keywords, as they tell the potential employer that your qualifications make you a good fit for the role. It also helps your application reach the hiring manager as many companies use ATS or Applicant Tracking System to screen their potential applicants and using relevant keywords ensure that your application does not get rejected. Here’s another example on how to use the right keywords in your cover letter – “With more than 15 years of experience as an SEO Specialist, I am proficient in optimizing websites with keyword research using software such as ABC SEO, original content creation and also planning the website architecture”. Showcase your achievements and tell the story of how much of an impact you’ve made in your current and past organizations. Don’t ever be vague or too modest about your achievements, as this is what will set you apart from competition and give you a better chance to land your dream job. Most importantly, proofread your cover letter and edit it multiple times, if need be, before you sent it out. Lastly, create a call to action that will leave the hiring manager wanting to know more. The final paragraph of your cover letter should express how excited you are about the role and should also serve as a mini pitch by reminding them subtly about why you’re a great fit for the role!