A cover letter is essentially a one-page letter that covers (goes on top of) your resume when applying for a job. It is a good way to remember which goes first. Basically a cover letter is your introduction or first impression to the employer, so you want to make it stand out!

Remember, your cover letter is different from your resume. We have worked with many clients who did not understand the difference. A simple, but significant, way to differentiate between the two is to think of your resume as your list of skills, work experience, education, accomplishments, certifications, professional development etc. and your cover letter as your opportunity to show some personality, reveal your excellent written communication skills, and demonstrate to the employer how well you know the company and how your values align. Making your cover letter personal, tapping into values, and demonstrating knowledge of the organization will help you stand out; otherwise, writing a generic cover letter and sending it to each and every employer will surely land you consistently in the No pile.

There can be different approaches to writing your cover letter, but the structure will always be similar…which we will get to in a couple of blog posts from now, so stay tuned!