Open Doors With Your Cover Letters – Step #5 of a Perfect Job Search

In this article, I explain Step #5 "Build the bridge to the open position with a cover letter" of the 7-Step Method "Fast Lane to the Perfect Job" I have developed to maximize the success of my coaching clients. If you haven't read my previous article here on LinkedIn in which I give an overview of the whole approach, I recommend reading that first.

Let your cover letter guide the reader

Although cover letters have lost some of their importance over the last twenty years, they are usually still expected and an excellent means of bridging the gap between your CV / résumé and the specific positions you are applying for.

In most cases, it would be too time-consuming to adapt your CV / résumé perfectly to each position advertised and the company behind it. This won't be a problem if a) your CV / résumé is well composed in general, and b) you provide the reader with a little guidance in the form of your cover letter on how to read and understand your CV / résumé.

The widespread approach of filling cover letters with empty phrases that do not refer to the positions the job seekers are applying for or for which they have no justification in their CVs / résumés is not good enough to reach this goal.

So, do not write something like this:

❌ I have read your vacancy ad for a secretary with great interest and would like to apply for this position. I am communicative, motivated, and have a talent for organization.

In my previous employment relationships, I have always reliably fulfilled my tasks. Teamwork is of high priority for me but I can also work by myself. The results of my work have therefore always been appreciated by my superiors and colleagues.

A much better way would be something like the following example:

✅ Being a regular reader of the trade magazine "Back Office Trends", your job advertisement in the 03/2024 issue for the position of chief secretary in the materials procurement department particularly appealed to me.

Due to my current position as assistant to the management of NanoPress Ltd., I have been familiar with the typical requirements of secretarial work for higher management levels and material purchasing for more than 3 years now.

I hold my current employer in high regard, but since it is a medium-sized company, there are hardly any further development opportunities for me. The position you have advertised would be an ideal next step for me. It would enable me to continue using my network of supplier contacts developed over 7 years to successfully support my supervisor and at the same time gain more international work experience.

Key elements of a convincing cover letter

Ideally, your cover letter tells a short story through which the recipient learns the following about you:

• That you are already (somewhat) familiar with the hiring company.
• That you understand the open position, its tasks, and especially how to be successful in it.
• Why your career to date provides an excellent basis for this (proof of your competence).
• How you will personally benefit from the new job (proof of your motivation).
• How you will make a significant contribution to the success of the company already in the near future.

Depending on the specific circumstances, the first two aspects may not always be quite as important. This is usually relevant in cases of less industry-related work (e.g. that of a receptionist).

However, if they do play a role and you do not have sufficient information about them yet, you should research these two aspects at this point and not wait to be told about them by the hiring manager during the interview.

The last three aspects, on the other hand, are always important and should therefore always be included in a cover letter. It is exactly these three, that have the function to make the readers curious to learn more about you (by reading your CV / résumé) and to draw their attention to the relevant highlights.

There is more to it

This article is an abbreviated version of the instructions in my extensive online guide "Ways to the Perfect Job", which can be found here.

There is also a separate article on how to present your soft skills in situations like this.

What it means for the next steps

Wrapping your job applications in cover letters of this quality will not only help maximize the number of invitations for job interviews but also increase the share of those where you stand the chance of becoming the candidate of choice.

In the next step, I'll explain how you should prepare for and present yourself in these meetings.

Continue by learning more about step #6 ...

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No problem, because that is what I as a professional career coach do all the time. Of course, my work is not for free but the great results you can achieve with it will be well worth the investment. Contact me briefly and I'll let you know how to go ahead together soon.

Send your job search and applications on the road to success

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