4 Golden Rules to Writing a Great Cover Letter
While the Internet is full of helpful cover letter tips, most advice is generic—use good grammar, show off your strengths, etc. This information is helpful, but will it really make your cover letter stand out? A cover letter could make all the difference in getting you hired—and for this to happen it will need to be more than just generic.
Craft a cover letter that not only follows proper etiquette, but also demonstrates your competency for the job with these golden rules:
1. Don’t ramble.
When re-reading your cover letter ask yourself: ‘Would I stay interested reading this?’ If your own cover letter doesn’t get you excited then it sure isn’t going to spark the interest of an employer. Try cutting out everything that is repetitive or unnecessary and replacing it with material designed to hook your reader.
2. Don’t Summarize Your Resume.
Employers ask for both resumes and cover letters for a reason (they are both meant to give different information). A cover letter is your chance to shine: to convince your reader why you are perfect for the apartment job you’re applying for. If you want to work in leasing, don’t just list the relevant skills you have—paint a picture of how you skills, passion, and determination combine to make you a leasing professional who will get the job done.
3. Do make it specific.
One of the greatest cover letter turn offs for employers is a cover letter that could have been written for almost any apartment job. Using a generic cover letter tells employers that you aren’t willing to put in the effort to write a unique letter, and therefore must not truly want the position. On the other hand, writing about how your strengths match perfectly with the position requirements will put you one step closer to your first day working at a new property.
4. Do Finish with a Closer
While your entire cover letter should be designed to convince an employer why you are right for a job, the very end of your letter should close the deal. A simple summary sentence—something short and sweet—that drives home the way you would benefit the hiring employer, will leave them with a good impression.
The most persuasive cover letters don’t seek to outright sell your skills, but to communicate clearly how you will benefit an employer and why they should hire you. Employers don’t want to read the same standard cover letter over and over again, they want to know why they should hire you. And your cover letter is a chance to show them, using these 4 golden rules.
