Tips on Crafting a Resume Cover Letter That Will Attract the Hiring Manager

Do you lack the requisite knowledge required in crafting a resume cover letter that will attract a hiring manager? Is your resume cover letter appealing enough to get you invited for interview by recruiters once it is submitted? We in human resource practice especially talent hunters have always known that getting selected for interview is by no means easy. Studies have shown that ninety-five percent of letters attached to resumes are usually ignored by recruiters.

This is because they are not appealing. We have however discovered that attaching an appealing letter to your resume will increase your chance of being selected for an interview. We have also found out that a job seeker can use such a letter to make a compelling case for himself different from what is included in the curriculum vitae. We have also discovered if such a letter is well written and individualized to specific job openings, it should open doors even where your CV could not. The objective in this article is therefore to expose the secrets behind crafting a compelling letter that will always appeal the talent acquisition expert.

What is a resume cover letter?

Some people see the resume cover letter as that letter which is attached to the resume when being submitted by the job seeker to the hiring manager for a job on offer. It could also be seen as a letter of introduction to an employer which is used to submit the curriculum vitae for review by those engaged to shortlist for selection by the employer. Consequently, it is supposed to provide detailed information on why you as a job searcher are qualified for the job you are applying for. An effective letter should explain the reasons for your interest as a job hunter in a particular organization and specific skills you possess which is related to the job on offer. Like the resume itself it is a marketing tool or a sales copy to promote you the job seeker. However, it presents you the opportunity to quickly introduce yourself and grab the attention of the hiring manager and arrest his interest so that he will be forced to go through your resume. They are therefore sent or uploaded along with the curriculum vitae when applying for jobs.

How to structure your resume cover letter

The first tip in the crafting of an attractive resume cover letter that will attract the hiring manager is in the structuring. That is the way the letter should be written. There are certain steps to be followed without which it will not be appealing.

1. The resume cover letter must be crafted in such a way that it would be tailored to meet the specifications of the job being applied for. Therefore avoid sending the same type of cover letter when applying for different jobs.



2. It should not give the employer the same kind of information as you have in your CV. It should be tailored to meet the need of the employer.



3. It should be concise, free of grammatical errors and mistakes. It should not be more than a page.

Information to include in a resume cover letter

The information to include is another vital tip in the crafting of a resume cover letter that will attract the hiring manager. The information should not be different from what is requested in the job advert. You should therefore give back to the hiring manager what he has requested. The information should include:

1. What appealed to you about the job on offer and why you prefer the job to others?



2. Giving of honest assessment about your qualities and abilities.



3. Seizing the opportunity to mention other qualities you possess which you have not mentioned in your resume.



4. Mentioning why you should be considered for the position on offer even if you are not a perfect match for it and why you want to work for the organization.



5. Touch briefly on your experience and leaving the meaty part for your CV.

From the foregoing the challenge that could be experienced in crafting a resume cover letter that will attract the hiring manager must have been taken care of. Without any knowledge about the structuring and the necessary information to be included, writing such a letter becomes a problem. Consequently, arresting the attention of the recruiter and reading of your CV becomes impossible. If that should happen making a compelling case for your being shortlisted for interview becomes impossible.