Unveiling the 3 Cover Letter Personas: Which one best describes you?

We are super excited about this week’s newsletter because we’re going to talk about adding some personality to our job applications!

First off… yes, you can certainly include some personality in your job applications and the cover letter is one of the best places to do so (and if you’re a top candidate, trust MyJobMag, people are going to be reading your cover letter).

So what kind of personality can we inject into our cover letters, and how much?

Great question. Let's introduce you to:

The 3 Cover Letter Personas

The Pleasantly Professional (universally applicable)

This persona is polite, to the point, and appropriately excited to be applying for the role.

An example opening paragraph for this cover letter would sound like this:

“I am thrilled to submit my application for this [JOB TITLE] position at [COMPANY NAME]. I found this job posting on your website and after carefully comparing the roles and responsibilities to my own skills and interests, I made the easy decision to apply.”

If you’re ever in doubt… use the pleasantly professional persona!

The Super Excited Go-Getter

This persona knows what they want and they’re confident about their abilities. They are the perfect fit for the job and they can’t wait to tell you why.

An opening paragraph for this cover letter would sound like this:

“I am beyond excited to submit my application for this incredible [JOB TITLE] position at [COMPANY NAME]. As you will see in my resume, my impressive professional background of relevant skills and accomplishments make me an outstanding fit for this role. I have been waiting for an opportunity like this with your team to open for years and I could not be more thrilled that the opportunity has arrived.”

We recommend saving this personal for a situation in which you are truly bursting with excitement to apply for the job. We have gone this route with candidates… and it worked both them.

The Hyper-Professional Persona

When you’re applying for something that is a bit of a stretch for you, or perhaps you know the hiring committee are big fan of formality, this will be your best bet.

Here’s what the opening paragraph will look like:

“I am writing to submit my application for this [JOB TITLE] role at [COMPANY NAME]. I believe my [#] years of experience in progressive leadership roles in the [INDUSTRY] industry have prepared me to be a valuable contributor to your impressive team. In my resume, as well as the page below, I have taken the time to outline my most relevant experiences that best showcase what I can bring to your team.”

It’s formal. It’s confident. It’s effective.

Overall… there are a lot of ways to do this right.

Think about the message you want to convey, and what you want them to think and feel about you as a candidate, and use that energy throughout your cover letter.

For more guidance and content on the latest job tips, workplace tips and career advice: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/blog

That is all for today,

MyJobMag