Write an Amazing Cover Letter: 3 Golden Rules (Template included)

When it comes to first-round interviews, your resume is probably more important than any cover letter. A good cover letter evokes emotion in the reader. Not even the best resume can do that. So in this video, I'm going to show you three things that my friend Amanda did in her cover letter that ultimately landed her multiple positions at management consulting firms and large investment banks. Make sure to stay with us until the end to learn about our cover letter formatting features I guarantee you've never heard of them before. Let's get started. Hi friends. Welcome back to the channel. Before you start writing a cover letter for a full-time job or internship application, you may be wondering, is it necessary? The answer is always the same. A good one won't guarantee you'll get the job, but a bad one will ensure you don't even get past the first round of interviews. So let’s break down three things to do right in this cover letter . First, and this is the most important tip, hook the reader by mentioning a connection to the company. If you get it right, it will make the other person read the first paragraph and understand why you should be better suited to this position than other applicants. Let's look at what Amanda did in her example. "Everyone told me that entry-level consultant positions at any of the Big Four firms were the same. However, after attending five career fairs and speaking with more than 20 professionals, it was clear to me that EY was the Stand out here." Let's pause here. In this sentence, Amanda does three things. She begins by drawing readers in by mentioning a common belief in the consulting industry that all entry-level positions are the same. And then immediately refute that statement. Then she showed that she was very proactive because she had been attending job fairs. Finally, she made it clear that certain aspects of EY stood out to her. Are you a little curious about what that is? In order for you to replicate what Amanda did with the cover letter hook, there's no way to do some actual research. First, talk to at least three industry professionals and ask them targeted questions designed to provide you with specific insights into the position and industry. I've made a full video on the best informational interview questions to ask in a coffee chat. I'll put the link below here. But in short, you don't want to ask a general question like, "Tell me about your day," but rephrase it to something like, "What do you find most valuable about your current role?" By By making a sales pitch like this, you'll prompt the professional to tell you specific examples that you can use in your cover letter, which in turn shows the recruiter that, without a doubt, you've done your homework. Second, if the position you are applying for involves software products, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Office 365, Amazon AWS, and Salesforce CRM, you need to visit websites such as G2 and Capterra to view customer recommendations and reviews first-hand, because this will Help you get a basic understanding of the product in a short period of time . A final tip is to remember that the connections you mention must be ones that resonate with the recruiter or hiring manager's readers. If you're applying for a job at Apple, maybe instead of talking about how you're going to come up with the next big idea for the iPhone, bring up their focus on privacy and how that impacts the advertising industry. As with all recent graduates, the less qualified you are for the position, the more important the first paragraph is. You need to convince the hiring manager that your motivation, energy, and willingness to learn will make you a stronger addition to the team than someone who may have more experience but wasn't interested in it in your cover letter. Okay, I spent a lot of time on the first tip because if you don't get it right, nothing else matters because they won't keep reading. Let me know what position you're applying for in the comments section below and maybe I can reply with some hook ideas. Cover letter tip two, be purposeful with the information you include. In other words, every paragraph, or rather, every sentence in your cover letter should have a reason for existing. In Amanda's cover letter, no words are wasted. The first paragraph hooks the reader, and the second paragraph builds on this hook. Many times, job seekers begin their cover letters by saying, "Hi, my name is John. I currently work here and am applying for this position." Amanda skipped all that because she realized her resume and online application were already Tell the recruiter all this information. The focus of the cover letter should be why she should be considered for a first-round interview. In our third and fourth paragraphs, Amanda highlights relevant accomplishments related to the responsibilities of the position she is applying for . She interned at a management consulting firm for two summers and worked on a $2 million project. She was developed problem solving and project management skills. She always met deadlines to get recognition. She could have leadership skills, great PowerPoint skills, or a strong data analysis background. But she knows to focus on the most important factors recruiters are looking for. Deal size, project management skills and reliability. The last paragraph may be more general, as you'll typically end your cover letter by thanking the reader for their time and emphasizing your strong desire to join their company. Amanda adds a bit more personality here, she has relevant work experience, differentiating her from other applicants, and emphasizing her project management abilities, which are core skills for any competent consultant. Also, pro tips. I just love the way she uses the word "asset" here. Not too arrogant, not too humble, just right. Cover letter tip three. Use simple templates and pay attention to white space. Just look at these two cover letters. Format aside, which one do you instinctively prefer to read? It could be this, especially if the person is able to include all the important information in a concise and structured way . I particularly like how the name and address sections are in separate columns, which means you don't have too much awkward white space. If you've seen my resume video, you'll know that I really like accents of color to give your cover letter more personality while maintaining an overall professional look and feel. Many of you may not know this, but adding a relevant job title below your name is beneficial because your cover letter will typically be scanned by bots looking for these keywords when you upload it. Finally, here are my top tips on cover letter format . You may notice that the first letter at the top of the title here is two sizes larger than the other letters. This is by design. So let's bring it back to the same size. It's 26. Highlight the letter after the first one and press command + shift + comma twice to make it smaller by two sizes. Now all that's left of your cover letter is a title that's fairly unique but looks professional. To reward those of you who made it this far, here's a link to download this exact template so you can refer to it when you're writing your own awesome cover letter . So back to the emotional aspect I mentioned at the beginning of the video. After reading this cover letter, the recruiter may conclude that Amanda is resourceful, she has relevant skills, and she is motivated. All of this means at least a first round interview is required. Next, be sure to check out my video on how to write a great resume. If you're interviewing right now, be sure to check out this playlist for common interview questions and answers. See you in the next video. In the meantime, I wish everyone well.