As businesses plan for office re-entry after more than a year and a half of remote work and a scaled back workforce, the need to find the right talent is more important than ever. Landing the job of your dreams may have been difficult before the pandemic, but it’s become even more competitive now that people are looking to re-enter the workforce all at the same time. So, how does one stand out as a top candidate to an employer? It’s quite simple really; start with a great cover letter.
While most people have their resumes posted to hiring sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Zip Recruiter, etc., very few are uploading a cover letter when applying for a position. Even when directly applying to a position, many are foregoing the cover letter and missing a big opportunity. As a public relations practitioner, you should have a passion for writing along with the ability to tailor a persuasive piece to your target audience. Candidates need to approach the cover letter as they would a media pitch and think of the potential employer as the target audience, making sure to customize each cover letter to meet the potential employer’s needs.
In the cover letter ask yourself if you are addressing the following questions:
- Have you presented the benefits of why you are the ideal candidate for the position?
- How will hiring you make an impact with the existing team? The company?
- How do your skill sets match the company’s current needs?
- What skill sets do you bring to the company that may currently be missing?
- What consequence would the employer have by not hiring you?
A strong cover letter is vital to getting your foot in the door especially if you are using the resume template provided on various hiring sites. It’s your opportunity to get the hiring manager’s attention, pique enough interest to make them want to read your resume and provide context for what they will see when they do. It’s truly the only way to stand out and to make that positive first impression with your potential employer.
Now that you know how to write that strong cover letter, tell us why you would be a good fit for NST. We are currently hiring and looking for people to join our team who have a passion for writing, creativity and strategic thinking. If you’d like to join our team in our quest to redefine PR check out our careers page for more information.