Cover Letters

Cover letters provide an opportunity to get your foot in the door. They are your first impression to potential employers and can really make or break you. When looking through applications, professionals are not only looking for someone who meets their qualifications but also someone who catches their attention. That is why it is so important to make yourself stand out and show what you can bring to the job. There are many other things you can do to write a cover letter that showcases the best of you.

• Explain why you are applying for the company. Talk about the experiences you had that led you to apply. That being said, do not talk about what the company can do for you. Employers want to find the right person for the job not someone who is just using their company as a stepping stone.

• Focus your letter on the keywords of the job description. This is another opportunity to write something interesting to make yourself stand out.

• Tailor your cover letter to the job you are applying. This seems obvious but cover letters are not meant to be informal and mass-produced. Every job is different and employers need applicants to be as detailed as possible (without rambling) about why they should be hired for a specific position.

• Be genuine. You do not want to be too over the top in your cover letter. Just stick to the facts and be honest.

• Get to the point. Cover letters should only be about a page so there is no time to ramble. You only have a limited amount of space to market yourself so use it wisely.

• Proofread. Let other people proofread it for you too so you have fresh eyes reviewing your letter. Employers, especially in the media industry, will not take you seriously if you have spelling and grammar mistakes.

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