Wie können Sie Ihr Anschreiben unvergesslich machen?

Craft an unforgettable cover letter by weaving a genuine, engaging story that not only showcases your qualifications but also resonates with the reader, leaving a lasting impression.

Research profiles on LinkedIn and start networking with decision-makers before you start writing. Become genuinely interested in the company, position, and decision-maker. Not feeling it? Consider reading, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie. It's a must-read to improve your interpersonal skills and will make you stand out in your cover letter.

To write a cover letter, you need to write it with the right intention. It's important your cover letter is not a one size fits all. You need to know the role you are applying for and the industry and from there write your story. To be honest, most companies do not really read cover letters nowadays because most of them are very boring and generic so if you want them to stop on their track and read your cover letter, try having a heading that captures the reader, and the first few lines act as a hook to entice them to read further. Cover letter should be story building and share something that is interesting and show your authentic self of who you are, the lead up to your career, things that we will not potentially see in your resume.

It is said that resumes are reviewed for 7 seconds, and cover letters for 10 seconds. So you want to keep your cover letter short and to the point: speak directly to the employer's needs. For example: "You are looking for someone who can increase user engagement. I have done it before..." Then list 2-3 bullet points that demonstrate your impact in that area, ideally with quantifiable measures to illustrate your impact.

Storytelling is a powerful tool if you know how to use it and cover letters are another channel you can use to tell your story, so you get hired. You cannot repeat what's on your CV/Resume but you can definitely use your achievements to tell a story on how you are the right person for the job. Select the top 2 to 3 achievements you have that relate to the job description and are aligned with what the employer is seeking based on the job description and write a story to demonstrate how you would be of value to the employer based on your experiences and what you have achieved so far. Try incorporating the use of numbers or industry metrics to make your achievements more objective and your story will be good to go.

Aim to tell your stories in the SAR format: Situation, Action Result. Keep the stories short ... One sentence that describes the situation and/or problem that needed to be solved. One sentence that describes the action you took to solve the problem. One sentence to describe the result of your action, preferably with quantifiable measures. Use these stories as bullet points in your cover letter and resume.

Skills can be taught, but personality cannot. Hiring managers are looking for someone who not only has the skills to do the job but most importantly, someone who can fit in well with the team. Don't be afraid to showcase who you are. You're not a robot! You're a human being with hobbies and interests. Throw in elements of your personality to stand out from the hundreds of other cover letters on the pile.

Hiring managers quickly scan piles of cover letters, so make it easy on their eyes. Don't use long, dense paragraphs. No one will read them. Instead, use lots of white space and bullet points to give the eyes a break. Then read the cover letter three times: once for grammar, once for typos, and once for syntax. (Your eye will pick up more errors if you're only looking for one specific thing at a time.) Don't just rely on spell check - it doesn't catch everything.

Here's how I tell my clients to wrap up their cover letters: “Thank you, [hiring manager's name], for your time and thoughtful consideration. I look forward to meeting you and discussing how my diverse skill set [or highlight a specific skill set] can benefit your company [and their mission/goals]. I can be reached at [your email] or [your phone number] to schedule an interview. You can also see more of my work at [your website] and/or [your LinkedIn profile]. With gratitude, [your name, signature, website, or LinkedIn profile]"

I once received a compelling cover letter for a marketing position. The applicant played off the MasterCard "priceless" campaign with the following idea: searching for a great person to fill your position is a tremendous amount of effort, and finding the right person quickly is priceless. This applicant was super qualified for the job, but alas, their salary requirements were too high. Regardless, the cover letter truly stood out, and I still remember it years later.

Let your cover letter be genuine enough by letting it reflect your qualifications, enthusiasm and your interest in the role and company at large.