You’ve Found A Dream Job
Who can relate? You’re bored stupid in your regular job and your days are spent wistfully dreaming of a better career. A career where you can be your best self, make use of that university degree or one where your hard work will just be appreciated. So you spend all your free time scouring Seek in search of that dream job. And then one day you find it! You just know it’s the perfect job for you. It encompasses all your passions, your skills and you want this job so bad you feel you might burst! And you’re certain a thousand other people will want it too. How can you make sure you get noticed?
Write A Cover Letter That Stands Out
A few weeks back, Sarah contacted me all excited, “I’ve found my dream job!”. She sent me the link and I must admit, it really did sound like the perfect job for her! However, the position was at a popular tourist attraction and I’m certain there would be thousands of other applicants eagerly applying for the position. Sarah wanted me to help her stand out from the rest of the applicants. She sent through her cover letter and resume’ for me to read. Sarah was certainly qualified for the role. In fact, I would’ve given her the job it was so perfect for her. However, it’s not enough to simply list your credentials. Imagine being the person on the receiving end of thousands upon thousands of applications, all from people equally qualified for the position. How can you grab their attention?
Personalise You Cover Letter
Make your cover letter personal! Most cover letters I’ve read wait until the end to “thank you for your time”. Don’t wait! Grab the readers attention at the start with a warm welcome and “thank you for taking the time to read my application”.
Make it friendly. Your cover letter is basically an interview on paper. If you were face-to-face, would you sit there and list your qualifications? Of course not! You would have a conversation and mention your experience, your passions, your strengths and your ambitions. Do this in your cover letter! No one enjoys reading a shopping list of items but give them the entire recipe and it’s far more interesting.
Consider the Tone
Of course, the tone of your cover letter depends on the position you’re applying for. I find the creative industries often have very quirky job descriptions. I once helped write a cover letter for an applicant applying for a digital communications roles. One of the perks of the job was “endless coffees and supply of red frogs”. Well, my client didn’t like red frogs but she loved red jelly beans. When I reworded her application we made it personal by adding a touch of humour.
“I love coffee but sadly I’m not a fan of red frogs. However, I love red jelly beans and am willing to work on acquiring a fondness of red frogs. I do hope this won’t dissuade you from considering me for the role”.
My client received a call back for the position!
A Cover Letter to Remember
Anyway, back to Sarah. I tweaked Sarah’s cover letter, added some personality and sprinkled some warmth through it. Sarah certainly was qualified but she needed to stand out from all the other applicants. A few days after sending Sarah her newly revamped cover letter she sent me a message to say she’d secured an interview!
So, if you’ve found your dream job and want a cover letter that outshines the others, don’t just write. Imagine a conversation with your prospective employer. What would you say? How do you want them to feel? You want to engage them from the outset of your letter so be afraid to be a little adventurous with your wording.
It may just land you that dream job!
About Alison – Brisbane Copywriting
Alison is a Brisbane copywriting specialist and can help you land that interview with a kick-ass cover letter! Alison has a Degree in Communications and a passion for public relations and journalism. If you’re in need of a writer who is a legend at professional writing, get in touch here!
