How To Write An Impactful Cover Letter

An impactful cover letter can make or break you in the job hunting game. With a well-written, well-thought-out cover letter, you can stand out among your competitors and give yourself the extra leg up that you need. An impactful cover letter can be the key to giving yourself the unique touch that might give you an edge over the other applicants who are vying for the same position. If you’re looking for tips on how to make the best cover letter for an executive position that you can, then read on!

How Long Should My Cover Letter Be?

When you’re trying to write an impactful cover letter, you don’t want your letter to be too long and drawn out to the point where it’s incomprehensible. To have the most bang for your buck in your cover letter, it should always be short and to the point. Have fewer words, but make sure that those words count when you put them onto the page. 

When you’re beginning to draft your letter, think about the length of it as you go. To read the entirety of your letter shouldn’t take more than a single screenshot length if you were to screenshot it on your computer or just one scroll on the screen of a smartphone. Whoever is taking a look at your cover letter is likely not going to spend much time taking a look at it when they could be working on something else, so you should keep your writing short, sweet, and to the point. 

If you’re worried about what your letter should contain if it should be this short, don’t worry! Keep it as three short paragraphs: an introduction, a paragraph containing information about you and a few bullet points with your qualifications, and a closing paragraph. Make your qualifications easy to read and noticeable on the page so if the recipient simply glances at your letter, they’ll see the most essential information. 

However, you mustn’t use your cover letter to rewrite your resume in long-form writing. The hiring manager will see your resume when that is submitted, so there is no need to repeat yourself in your cover letter. Instead, give the recipient the highlights of what makes you most qualified to meet with, provide advice, give the job to, etc., and make it interesting! You want to assure that your cover letter is leaving a lasting impression on whoever’s desk it lands on.

Addressing Your Cover Letter

When you’re writing a cover letter, you need to make sure that you’re addressing your letter to a specific person. That isn’t to say that “hiring manager” or “to whom it may concern” aren’t great ways to address a letter if need be, but giving a name to the person you’re reaching out to can make a huge difference in how approachable and caring you seem to be.

Do your research as well. You want to keep track of who you are reaching out to in the company, and you want to ensure that you’re reaching out to the right person. Doing your research ensures that you know what you’re talking about when you write your letter, as well. Demonstrating a little bit of knowledge about the company when you reach out can take you far. 

Components of a Great Cover Letter

A great cover letter takes practice to truly get the hang of it. However, if you’ve got all of the right components, you can take your cover letter from good to great. 

Don’t Be a Mystery 

When you address your letter to a specific person, don’t forget to include information about how you got their contact information in the first place. Was it a referral, or research? Did you find them based on an article they wrote or something else that they published? Whatever the case may be, introduce that familiarity with them right away in your letter. This will help the addressee let their guard down and be more receptive to what you have to say. 

Be Specific

When you’re drafting your letter, be clear and concise about what you’re doing and what you want from this cover letter. A recruiter or corporate officer may not read to the end of your letter or may just want to skim through it. The more straight and to the point you are with your letter, the more you’re likely to get out of it. 

When you do specifically ask for what you want, make sure that your request isn’t something that’s too forward or too unattainable. Your request should be something easy to accomplish like an interview, a meeting, a referral, or something similar. If you’re introducing yourself in the hopes of being hired for a specific position, then clarify which position you’re interested in. Being too vague or too wordy won’t endear you to any of the people you’re wanting to appeal to, and it won’t make you stand out from the crowd in the way that you want. 

Keep It Out of the Attachments

One of the most important considerations for writing an impactful cover letter isn’t even in the writing itself; it’s in the delivery. When you send your cover letter, don’t include it in a separate document attached to the email. Place the letter into the body of the email itself. Sending your cover letter as an attachment only makes it less likely that the recipient will read it because taking that extra step means taking more time to look at your letter than they might have.