Cover letters - Do they really matter and does anyone even read them?

4 proven strategies that can help you to craft a compelling cover letter and crush your competition

Are you spending time to write a cover letter for every job you apply?

Is it worth of your time and do you know if that will be read by the recruiter or hiring manager?

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💡 Data from research say that 74% of the time recruiters don't read them

💡 Same survey shows that 53% prefer candidates who submit cover letters.

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Are you still using that same generic cover letter that starts with "Dear Sir/Madam, I would like to apply for the role because I'm a great fit?"

Well then you should consider below 4 proven strategies that can help you craft a compelling cover letter and crush your competition from today!

1. Use a template that matches your resume.

It is key to keep your branding consistent across your resume & cover letter. Using different templates or designs can impact your results being noticed by the recruiters or hiring managers.

2. INTRO - Tell your story ⚡

There's information out there that its 23 times more likely to retain and remember information when it is in the form of a story.

• Remember a defining a moment in your career or life that ties in with the job role and the company vision / values.
• If you're in IT or Engineering space, think of "Why" you decided to pursue in the specific field, did you liked computers or how things worked when you were growing up as a child? Did you like cars or solving problems?

Showcase your story in few lines on the first paragraph so you make the reader want to know more about you.

3. Body - Research the company and understand the challenges or need to hire for the role.

Researching about the company and the challenges they face currently in the industry is key to grab attention of the reader within the first few seconds and to craft a strong case of your excitement for the role.  Write few bullet points that is relevant to show that you have done the research and then align with your experience to demonstrate how you can address these challenges. Show an example in the form of below method and highlight why you are the best person to help them achieve it:

• I understand why you’re hiring for the X role with the (mention challenges)

• I believe within the next 6 months; you would want to overcome (the challenge)
• I would like to propose you (your solution) that I believe will help you to achieve the (goals)

4. Closing statement - Pitch your value validation project.

Put few more solutions or previous projects that you have completed that you can bring in, which can address the key challenges that they face which is relevant to the role you are applying.

Conclusion

If you're really interested on the job role you're applying for and if you think that it can help you land the career you dream of, you should be investing on writing a cover letter that can impress the recruiter / hiring manager.