The cover letter is a small part of the job search process in the grand scheme of things, and it always seems to cause confusion for candidates, like how to formulate it and when to send it. Many positions are now applied to online, so traditional cover letter etiquette seems to be up in the air.
A good rule of thumb to keep in mind when responding to a job position via email is take out the important parts of the cover letter and integrate them into the body of the email instead of separately attaching the letter itself. Think of it this way; if you were an HR manager and had to sift through hundreds of candidate emails, would you want to take the extra step to download and view extra documents? Streamlining your email’s accessibility by highlighting the important parts of your cover letter in your email allows for a concise but lasting impression that will give HR all the information they need without the hassle.
If the potential employer specifically requests a cover letter, make sure to attach it as requested, but if it is attached there is no reason to include its contents in the body of the email. Keep the email itself short and sweet, because chances are if a cover letter is specifically requested, they won’t be spending much time looking over the body of the email anyways. As always, limit your cover letter to one page and don’t forget to proofread!
Another few things to keep in mind when constructing a cover letter:
- Personalize your content to center around why your skills and attitude match the company specifically.
- Don’t use the cover letter as a way to reiterate your resume’s information; use it as your chance to make a personal and warm connection with employers and let your uniqueness as a candidate shine through.
- Avoid cliché phrasing (i.e. ‘team player’, ‘self-motivated’, ‘hardworking’).
- Include that you will be following up on a specific date to show the company that you are already invested in the position.
Madden Industrial Craftsmen has made hundreds of valuable connections over the years, and our recruiting team is more than willing to use their network to place you with the right company — give us a call and we can get you started today and work with a top construction staffing agency in Seattle.
