The importance of tailoring a cover letter - Don’t let people guess if your skills are relevant!

The importance of tailoring a cover letter - Don’t let people guess if your skills are relevant!

- By Lauren Celano, CEO, Propel Careers

As you undergo the challenge of applying for jobs, setting yourself up for success is critical. A tailored cover letter makes a huge difference, but in order to write a good cover letter it is essential that you understand the following:

This process is not only about sending your materials in for a position; it is about showing why you are relevant for the position. This is your chance to shine! Below are a few tips to give you some understanding of how to respond to a job posting effectively.

In many cases when people apply for jobs, it seems as if the sender just replaces the “To” and “Company” names, sending the same generic cover letter for many different listings. If your letter lacks the specifics of why your skills are relevant for each specific job, the chances of accomplishment (i.e. moving to the next phase in the review/interview process) are pretty low. When people send a generic resume and cover letter, they are relying on the recruiter’s and/or the hiring manager’s ability to determine that their skills match up. Relying on the potential for someone to guess that your skills are relevant certainly decreases the odds that you will be called for an interview, even if you are qualified. When companies provide a job description, they are providing you with a listing of what they are looking for. Instead of just blindly sending in a resume and cover letter, take a little time to customize how you describe your background for the precise role to which you are applying.  Just because you have a molecular biology degree does not mean that you have experience with yeast and E.coli, just like having a bioinformatics degree may not mean that you have experience with Perl, R and Python. By clearly highlighting your skills and experiences, and how they relate to the job description, you make it easier for the hiring manager and HR to see that you are relevant.

Because companies get so many applicants for roles, most won’t write back to you asking for more info if they are not sure that you fit. They will default to putting you in the “not a fit pile,” meaning that you won’t even be called to clarify your skills. This is a huge missed opportunity for you.

“When writing a cover letter, keep in mind:

1.   Why you are writing this letter?

2.   Who is going to read it?

3.   How you will ensure that it captures the attention of the reader to get you to the next review phase?”

One important point to keep in mind through this process, though, is that even before you take the time to write a tailored cover letter and resume, you should reflect to make sure you are focusing your energy on the right positions for you. By doing an honest self-evaluation prior to your job search, you should have a good idea of what type of job you are qualified for, what size company you want to work for, and a realistic expectation of how far you are willing to move/travel for work. Making these decisions ahead of time can prove helpful for understanding whether a job posting is for a fit for you. 

For example, if we look at a job description, here are a few points that are important to be aware of:

Company Description

This tells you a lot about the potential company. If the company says they are a start-up or entrepreneurial, they will (most likely) be looking for you to show an interest in entrepreneurship or experience with an entrepreneurial setting, be able to multi task, learn quickly, and assist with projects that may be outside of your job description.

Location

If the job is located in an area different from where you live, the company will be looking for a reason why you are (or have an interest in) moving to their area. With all of the things to worry about when on-boarding a new hire, a company does not want to worry that you won’t be a fit for the area to which you are moving.

Job Description

The company either wants to see previous experience with the type of job, or a reason why your skills are relevant for the job for which you are applying. Be explicit and use the space wisely as your share your information.

Job Requirements

This is where you have huge power to indicate your skills and show relevance to what the company is seeking.  Don’t be shy here! Indicate what you know/have experience in and how this relates to what the company is looking for. 

By thoroughly addressing each of these job description aspects within your cover letter, the person screening your resume can see why you are applying and that you are relevant to this role. If you don’t have the full range of experiences for which the company is looking, then list why you think you could do a certain task or experiment. List your transferrable skills and/or interest in a particular area. 

When you customize your cover letter, make sure you are also customizing your resume as well. Many times, a cover letter is separated from the resume after the first evaluation of the cover letter and resume. It’s important to also show these skills and experiences on your resume. Otherwise, when people are interviewing you (if they have a non-customized resume of yours), they may wonder why you are applying!

By taking time to tailor what you are sending to companies and only applying to roles that are relevant to you, you increase the chances of being interviewed for a job, which increases your chances of being hired. Preparation on your side will go a long way. Good luck with the applications to find the right fit for you!