Cover letters: The fastest way to the top (or trash)

Some people think cover letters need to be a well thought out, lengthy bit of prose on top of a well crafted resume. Turns out though, that people on both sides of the hiring equation think less is more.

For me, a cover letter shouldn't be a restating of a resume, or some sort of long, drawn out explanation as to why a candidate is perfect for the job. Instead, a cover letter should be short, sweet, to the point, and should break down why a candidate is perfectly matched for a job in ways a resume can't.For instance, if you see an overwhelming list of qualifications and preferences for a job posting, pick a few that line up with your skill set and preferences, and focus on how you fit the job better than anyone else. I, for instance, tend to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to content production, and I've had some extremely limited experience managing people. If I were applying for a job as a worker in IT support staff, a job to which I'm not perfectly suited, I might pick out the requirements mentions a strong ability to communicate. I'd take that chance to explain my background is in communication, and while other candidates might have stronger IT backgrounds, few of them will have the communication skills that I do. I might rinse and repeat with other areas where I'd be uniquely suited to do a job, and make the potential employer feel like they know me, more than a bullet-list of places I've previously collected paychecks.

Cover letters should be a chance for an employer to pre-screen you for the good or worse. In the previous scenario, I might rise to the top as a fully communicating IT support staff member, or they might say "y'know what, we prefer someone who's lived and breathed this stuff day-in and day-out." Either way, I'd likely put myself in a position to fit the right job.

Amy Middleton, a friend of mine, did some research and created the killer presentation at the top of the post that gives the brief rundown of a quality cover letter. It'll help you out, promise.