How to Write a Cover Letter That Doesn’t Just Recap Your Résumé?

Published by Espresso-Jobs, May 18th, 2017

Many candidates regurgitate information from their résumé in their cover letter. That’s not the best thing to do. Read on to learn how to avoid it!

Rather than simply being a more narrative version of your résumé, your cover letter could offer appealing details about you that your résumé does not provide, explains Fast Company.

Recruiters will get more insight into your personality!

1. Write beautiful, well-constructed sentences

You have the freedom to write whatever you want. So don’t keep listing your achievements like you do in a résumé! Take the opportunity to explain why you’re a perfect fit for the company, based on your experience.

Example: Instead of writing “I was in charge of making budget allocations to each department,” you should use the available space to elaborate. “In the process of making budget allocations to each department, I gained in-depth knowledge of a certain software - and I also became an expert in negotiating with different shareholders.”

2. Highlight your skills, not your enthusiasm

You don't want the recruiter to miss any aspect of your talents. Try to choose two or three key skills that you would like to emphasize (reread the job description as well as your résumé).

Then, for each skill, think about specific projects that are associated with them, or achievements and assignments that are directly associated with your expertise in that specific field.

The most effective way to do this is to include a phrase, after your introduction, such as “This is what I can contribute as a candidate: xxx.” Here you will provide a detailed description of your skills and the way in which they could benefit the company.

3. Share a Story

This is your chance to go beyond listing your qualifications and share a bit of your background and personality. Remember: Recruiters want to hire people, not robots. Adding a brief personal anecdote to your letter could make you sound more human! The more you attract their attention, the better your chances of being called for an interview.

Of course, the anecdote should be related to the job you’re applying for. It could be anything that makes sense. For example, you could explain that you discovered your passion for sales while selling lemonade in front of your home. Or maybe it was a recent experience in volunteer work that made you realize that you’re a natural-born programmer.

Example: When I was younger, all I wanted was to be one of those people who pose as statues on the street. Fortunately, my career goals have become a little more practical throughout the years, although I still enjoy captivating a crowd and entertaining people, which are two passions that make me the perfect Sales Coordinator. So do you get the idea?

Then grab a pen and get started!