5 Keys to drafting an Exceptional Cover Letter as an Emerging Professional in 2024!

Hey ambitious professionals on this article I will be sharing my 5 secrets that you use to optimize your cover letter today!??.

Cover letters are an important job marketing material for emerging professionals, because graduate recruitment is considered "bulk recruitment" as many "graduate or entry level" job posts will have 10s of thousands of candidates applying for these positions.

Many recruiters rely on cover letters or "motivational letters" as one of their key methods to screening high volume recruitment projects.

But lets first try to understand exactly what exactly a cover letter is???

A cover letter is a 1- page letter that conveys your personality and enthusiasm but also draws attention to your experience and suitability for the job you are applying for.

?This letter should intrigue the graduate recruiter so that he/she would want to meet you!

So lets first dive into the key number 1- which involves the prep work prior to even drafting your cover letter!

???KEY 1: THE RESEARCH:

??Use the company’s website ??and annual reports?? to retrieve the following information:

1?? The company's strategic objectives??

2?? The Company's values??

3?? Job description of the position??

4?? The organisation's culture??

5?? The organisation's unique value proposition??

You need to ask yourself what makes the company special?

???Is it because their product is one of a kind?

???Or are they solving an important problem in a unique way?

??Perhaps they working toward a mission that resonates with you?

???KEY 2: THE INTRO

Ok now we can finally start to draft our cover letter!??the first part of an intro includes the...

1?? The Cover Letter heading:

?This includes your NAME and SURNAME bold at the very top of your letter with your job title of the current role you are occupying underneath it. E.g. Olwethu Machine- HR graduate

2?? The Cover letter subject line:

E.g. ‘Application for a Graduate Trainee position: Human Resources’

3?? The Cover letter salutation:

??If there is no contact person or name mentioned on your job application or job advert then the salutation for your letter should always read ‘To the Hiring Manager’ or “To the hiring/ resourcing team.”

??Do not write ‘To whom it may concern! - as it comes off across as being less personable.

4?? The opening statement:

Your team is currently looking for [job title] and it is a pleasure to come forward as a candidate for the position this will then proceed with point number 5- The story that will create the emotional connection!

5?? The emotional connection??:

?This is a story that should attract the recruiter’s attention from the get goWhat type of story can you tell? ??

?Your personal story using the services or products of the company.

?Selling yourself to the graduate recruiter on why you decided to apply for this position

?You can focus on the values, strategy, culture, strategic projects, the leadership team, awards the company has received!

???KEY 3: THE BODY

1?? Soft and Hard skills????:

?You need to decide based on the job spec which skill is more prevalent to expand on in your cover letter- is it a hard skill or is it a soft skill???

.2?? Activities and duties?? this can include the following roles you might want to elaborate in on your cover letter:

??Part time jobs

??Vac work

??Student leadership committees

??Extra mural activities

3?? Academic achievement and grades??

4?? Special Certifications & Professional body memberships attained ??

5?? Notable achievements and awards ??

??Remember you don't have to include everything listed on the body of your cover letter always choose information that is most prevalent and will make you standout amongst all the other candidates.

???Key 4: THE CLOSING:

1?? Mention your? positive expectation to hear from the hiring manager/recruiter

2???Secondly draw their attention to your contact details

3?? Thirdly finish off with a call to action and indicate that you would be available for an interview.

4?? Lastly sign off ??and thank them???? for taking time? to read your letter

5???Finish the letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ and leave a space for your signature, then type your name below.

???Key 5: INCORPORATE THE X-FACTOR!

?Show passion and zeal:

How are you illustrating through your language and your personality?

?Remember your passion and zeal is your selling point.

Remember when you are sharing emotion on a cover letter ask yourself if you were in the shoes of the graduate recruiter would I want to meet you?

? The recruiter is a human being and not an ATS robot??

?A human will be reading your cover letter unlike your CV which most likely be screened through ATS.

??Bring out the human element and touch in your cover letter, the recruiter has to sift through thousands of applications step away from the boring redundant way that everyone does their cover letter.

?Sell yourself!

Are you reiterating throughout the cover letter to the graduate recruiter that you are a perfect match for the position???

You need to spoon feed the recruiter in every opportunity- you can finish off a sentence (not all but in some) after reiterating you point- “I have participated in ABC, and done ABC and achieved ABC that is why I am an ideal candidate for this position etc

?Whenever you finish a point or section are you reiterating that you are indeed the ideal candidate?

??There you have it 5 KEYS???to drafting an Exceptional Cover Letter as an Emerging Professional in 2024 has been unlocked??!

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Olwethu M- "I am in the business of transforming ambitious graduates into thriving professionals"