When Writing A Cover Letter, Make It Easy For Them To Read!

A good cover letter is usually required when applying for a job and making sure that it is an easy read could make or break you in that search. Hiring managers typically end up with lots of resumes and cover letters on their desks and don't have lots of time to look closely at what's written. In fact, some of them really only look at a cover letter or resume for about 10-20 seconds before deciding whether or not to bring the person in for an interview.

Cover letters might seem easy but grammatical errors, disorganized paragraphs, and not following instructions can get you eliminated from contention very quickly. Below are some tips on making sure you have a good cover letter:

1) Read the Directions for the Job Post Carefully and Follow Them- If you are not following the directions provided, the hiring manager can use that as a reason to not give you an interview. Read whatever directions are provided and follow them exactly. You would be surprised how many people do not follow directions and end up not getting an interview because of that.

2) Have Good Grammar and Proper Word Use- This might seem like common sense but you don't know how close someone will pay attention to that and if the hiring manager is big on grammar and proper word use. You could lose your credibility with these mistakes and it could cost you an interview.

3) Put How You Can Add Value or How Your Experience Relates to the Position in Bullet Points- This is a concise and quick way for the hiring manager to see your qualifications and see how well you may or may not match up to what he or she is looking for. Putting how you add value in bullet points makes the cover letter easy to read, easy to follow and easier for the hiring manager to understand why you would be a good candidate for the position.

4) Have Another Set of Eyes Look At Your Cover Letter- Writing a cover letter can be a long process for some but have someone else take a gander at it to look for mistakes. Looking at something for a long period of time could make it hard to find mistakes at first and you never know how someone else's feedback could improve your letter. Feedback can make your letter stronger and increase your chances of getting the interview.

5) Focus on Experience That Is Relevant to the Position- Having lots of experience is great but focus in on key points in your career that is relevant to the position and will catch the attention of the hiring manager. Not all experience will necessarily fit the job description so focus in on experience that relates to the job you are applying for.