Boost Your Interview Success Rate

Nearly all job seekers are fully aware of the necessity of a CV when applying for a professional opinion, but few recognize the crucial role that an accompanying cover letter plays in the selection process. The cover letter you send with your CV is, in reality, just as crucial.

The reality is that for every job opening, hiring managers and recruiters may receive dozens or even hundreds of resumes. Interviewers have a limited amount of time to assess your qualifications because of the large number of people who apply for each open position. In fact, a recruiter typically spends between one and two minutes quickly glancing over a resume, hardly enough time to thoroughly investigate if your skill set and experience are a good match for the position.

For this reason, a cover letter is an indispensable part of applying for jobs. A cover letter is a letter sent with your resume to a potential employer to introduce yourself and highlight your skills and experience as they relate to the open position. In contrast to the one-size-fits-all approach taken by a resume, a cover letter can be customized for each position you apply for. Recruiters can more easily match your skills and expertise to the requirements of a position if you take the time to condense your CV and highlight the most important sections. And by eliminating every doubt, your resume will significantly boost your opportunity to be invited for an interview.

In order to get an in-person interview, your cover letter must “sell” your qualifications to a total stranger. Therefore, as you can imagine, it is not an easy document to write. However, you can use various principles as a starting point for writing your cover letter.

There are four key parts to a cover letter that usually don’t exceed a page in total: an introduction, a description of your qualifications, an explanation of why you’re interested in the position, and a call to action. The firm’s products or services, history, values, and target client market are all key factors to consider when applying for a position, so it’s crucial to do some research on the company and the position for which you are applying before you start listing a litany of abilities. Find out what qualities and skills recruiters look for in candidates so you can highlight those in your cover letter.

When possible, you should get your cover letter delivered directly to the hiring manager.

List the job(s) you are applying for.

Tell the hiring manager how you found out about the opening. Be sure to mention how you heard about the opening, whether it was from an advertisement or a personal recommendation.

Get to the point and pique the interest of the reader.

Focus on the skills that are most relevant to the position you are applying for. Make sure that your list of qualifications is concise and only includes the most important ones.

Don’t just tell the manager how qualified you are; back up your claims with concrete, believable examples from your past work.

Try to put a number on your qualifications by highlighting relevant numbers, projects, awards, and equipment, software, and tools you’ve utilized that are all directly related to the position you’re applying for. indicates that you “achieved a 98% customer satisfaction rating” or “raised department sales by 25% in the first quarter,” as opposed to just saying you have “great customer service abilities.”

Explain to the recruiter why you want to work for that specific organization. Why are you interested in working for this particular firm?

What about this job description excites you?

Highlight your qualifications and why you would be an asset to the organization. Please explain how you will contribute to the team.

Please refer prospective employers to your resume for a more in-depth evaluation of your credentials.

Make an appointment to speak with the recruiting manager in person.

Please include a contact method for the recruiter. Make sure the contact information you offer is valid, such as a phone number or email address.

Determine when you’ll check in with them again. Say something like, “I’ll give you a call on Monday afternoon to follow up.”

I appreciate the attention you’ve given this.

Finally, keep in mind that your cover letter will serve as the initial impression you make on potential employers. Making a good first impression is essential, and a well-written cover letter can help you do just that. However, no matter how well-suited you are for the position, a recruiter won’t give your credentials a second look if your cover letter is poor and lacks emphasis. Before sending any correspondence, make sure it has been thoroughly proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes.