If you work in specialty chemicals, you may have heard that hiring managers don’t read cover letters. This is often true of large companies who hire many new employees in a short period of time. But if you’re applying for a small or mid-size organization, your cover letter can help you to land an interview invite. Here are some cover letter tips to help you write one that stands out.
Don’t Be Generic
Your resume showcases your skills and professional experience, but your cover letter explains how the skills and experiences you describe in your resume can benefit their company. For this reason, the cover letter you write can’t be generic. You need to speak directly to the values and mission of the organization at which you are applying. Generic cover letters also lack personality and indicate a lack of effort. Employers can tell if you used a lazy approach in writing your cover letter, and no employer wants to hire someone they think will be lazy.
Don’t Waste Time with Buzzwords
With the influence of Google, we’ve all been taught that keywords are everything. It doesn’t help that employers often scan for keywords when filtering through resumes to save time. But when writing cover letters, keywords aren’t as important as they are with resumes. Buzzwords like “results-driven,” “expert,” and “leadership” don’t work because everyone uses them. You want the employer to remember you. But if you sound just like everybody else, you become forgettable.
State Your Objective
It seems obvious, but many people don’t clearly communicate their objective when they write a cover letter. At the start of your cover letter, you should concisely explain what you like about the company, why you want to work for them, and what you have to offer them. At the end of the letter, include a call to action. You want to reiterate your enthusiasm for the opportunity, convey your desire to come in for an interview, and make it clear you plan to follow up with them.
Hiring managers in the specialty chemicals industry read resumes closely to evaluate candidates before the interview phase. They want to see that you can communicate clearly and pay attention to detail. They also want to know what you can bring to the table. You want to set yourself apart from other candidates and get the employer excited about meeting you.
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