You’re finally done. You’ve spent hours and hours crafting the perfect resume to wow potential employers. However, before you send out your resume to your dream jobs, you’ll face a dilemma: cover letter or no cover letter?

Why Include a Cover Letter?

Despite rumors of cover letters being trivial and insignificant, they do carry weight when it comes to employment decisions. In certain scenarios, a cover letter is never optional. Here are a few examples:

  • Recruiter or hiring manager requires a cover letter.
  • Your resume is being sent directly to a hiring manager by name.
  • Someone referred you to the job opening.
  • You have some extra information you need to share that doesn’t normally appear on a resume.

Having a cover letter won’t jeopardize your chances of getting hired but it may present the opportunity to help you stand out from the crowd.

Cover Letter Writing Tips

Customization is key for an impactful cover letter. Yes, it is a time-consuming process, but the effort is likely to pay off. Copy and pasted cover letters can be spotted a mile away and easily end up in a hiring manager’s shredder without a second look.

Research is key to a successful cover letter. Find out more about the company and get a feel for company dynamics. A good place to start your research is on the company’s website, social media pages and on employer-reviewed sites like Glassdoor. Any intel gathered can be used to help craft a cover letter that addresses the specific needs of a company and discuss how you can meet those needs.

Don’t repeat the information in your cover letter that already appears in your resume. The cover letter is meant to enhance and work in conjunction with your resume, not regurgitate the same information about your qualifications. A simple format to follow is to include a salutation (hiring manager’s name not sir or madam), a compelling opening, a short paragraph highlighting the reasons you could be an asset to the company and then a conclusion with a request for interview.

Always remember to keep cover letters short, don’t go beyond a single page. After you’re finished, do a thorough spelling and grammar check since typos are very off-putting to anyone who is reviewing your resume.

Resume building skills are just one of the many benefits of going to school at New York Institute of Beauty! In addition to getting you prepared for licensing, you will get career advice and placement assistance, all while becoming part of the New York Institute of Beauty family. Give us a call today at (631) 582 4737 to get started on your path to success and let us help you follow your passion!