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For many competitive positions, majority of the applications do not go beyond the resume submission stage.

To get themselves past this stage, many applicants pay hundreds of dollars to résumé consultants. While you may be able to get good results from these consultants, you have to consider the possibility that your cover letter could be the problem. Your cover letter may be a hindrance to getting your résumé read.

This article would teach you how to make your cover letter attractive to recruitment managers. You want them to read your cover letter and invite you to an interview. You don’t want them to glance at your poorly written cover letter, ignore your résumé and send your email to the thrash folder.

If you want your cover letter to stand out from the multitude of job seekers, consider these points in preparing the next cover letter you send out:

PERSONALIZE

Do away with the Dear Sir/Madams or the To Whom It May Concerns. You should always address each letter to an actual person. Use a name in your cover letters. Use linkedin for your research. Show the recruiter that you have done the extra work. You’d be amazed at how many job seekers who mass-mail or use the same cover letter for many different applications.

Personalize that cover letter today and you would start seeing better responses to your messages.

BE CONCISE

Even if you are an accomplished professional with decades of experience, you would be able to get better results if you open the cover letter with a strong sentence and end quickly. Be concise. Synthesize your strengths in a paragraph and respect the time of the recruiter.

BE INTERESTING/ SHOW PERSONALITY

Use the cover letter to show you are going to be a great team mate. People employ those they can work with. Use the cover letter to promote the values your target company wants in its employees. Show them you are employable.

SHOW KNOWLEDGE

This follows from the first point we discussed. If you have done your research, show this in your cover letter. Let them know that you know about the company, their competitors and the industry. Can you do this and still make the letter short? Yes, you can. Write the first draft, then edit into a short, attractive letter that covers all the above points.

END WELL

While this may seem to many as a minor issue, it often helps you make a good impression with the recruiter. Thank the recruiter for an opportunity to interview and close the letter respectfully.

By following the above tips, you can write a winning cover letter, one that would work like a charm. So start writing your cover letter now using the tips in this article.