Do you need a cover letter in 2021? Do hiring managers still read cover letters? Is the cover letter any different than your professional resume?
The answer to all these questions is a yes, your cover letter matters and including it in your job application can help you in your job search. Around 53% of recruiters prefer a cover letter in a job application.
We are living in unprecedented times and the job market out there is more competitive than ever. Thus, standing out from your competition is important and job seekers must do their best to achieve it to schedule more interviews.
That said, let’s talk about 6 tips that can help you write a cover letter to attract recruiters of 2021.
6 Tips For Writing A Cover Letter
1. Add Your Remote Work Experience
The pandemic made us all used to the work-from-home environment and the companies have also realized that it can help the employees boost productivity and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Looking at the hiring trends, many companies prefer candidates who are comfortable working from remote locations.
If you have prior remote work experience, talk about it in your cover letter. Tell your targeted recruiter, how you can comfortably juggle between work and household chores without hampering productivity.
2. Make It A Good Read
Make it a good read for the recruiter. A recruiter would not think twice before reading if it is good to look at. Make it match with your resume; use fonts, text size, margins, and text style, among others just like your resume. You do not need to add images or graphics to make it appealing.
Instead, keep it simple and consistent with your resume. Also, make sure you keep it short. Recruiters do not have a lot of time to go through all the resumes and cover letters. So, lift some burden off their shoulders by keeping it short.
3. Make It More Than Your Resume
An ideal cover letter is an extension of your resume. Writing a cover letter does not mean you have to elaborate on the things you have written on your resume.
Make it more than that. Talk about your work experience and how you managed to learn new things and skills that can help you in your future role.
Talk about your work-from-home situations and how you adjusted to the new norm. A cover letter in 2021 is a great way to tell your potential recruiters how you can excel and stay productive amid uncertain times.
3. Don’t Overshare
Keep it real. A cover letter is a professional letter, which should speak more about your professional story.
2020 made us all realize the importance of family and friends, however, mentioning your personal ups and downs in a cover letter might not help you in getting a job.
You can talk about your professional accomplishments amid such difficult times and how you like the safety measures taken by the company you are applying for.
4. Mention How You Can Add Value
Write about your achievements and tell them how that can be helpful for their company. Write about your problem-solving approach by giving examples of your prior work experience.
You can also talk about the relevancy of your previous work in the applied role and how your expertise can help them boost profitability and efficiency.
5. Show Your Personality
Recruiters want to know you beyond your resume. They want to hire an actual person who is not just about their qualifications.
Talk about your personality traits and tell them what you like about the company’s work culture. Briefly talk about your hobbies and what you like to do after work hours. However, remember to keep it short.
6. Customize It for The Company
Personalize the letter for the company. Do not send the same cover letter to all the recruiters. Put some effort and research about the company you are applying for. Know about the work type, company, work culture, and expectations from the applied role.
While writing the cover letter, ensure you are talking about these things. It will help the recruiter realize that you know about the company and you are serious about your application. It will eventually take you a step closer to the job interview.
The Bottom Line
2020 has drastically transformed the way we live, work, and think. With the new normal taking over the traditional work practices, many companies have embraced the change for good.
That said, cover letters have always been preferred by the recruiters and the trend does not seem to go away any soon.
Attaching a nicely written cover letter along with your professional resume helps you stand out from the competition. You can also leverage professional services to get free CV/Resume templates or opt for targeted distribution for a successful job search.
Read Also:
- 7 Marketing Skills Every Young Marketer Should Have on Their Resume
- How to Start a Home Based Resume Writing Business
- 17 Proven Ways To Find Freelance Writing Jobs
Author Bio: Samar Sood is a senior editor at Job Nexus – a professional resume writing and editing service provider that helps job seekers meet their potential recruiters.
