Ever wondered why IND vs PAK is the most selling cricket match? No, get over the rivalry. There are HISTORY and EMOTIONS. There is a story to convey and a feeling to live with after the match gets over. But why are we talking about cricket here? Linking it to the most prestigious vs seen by ICC, a cover letter is like IND vs PAK and presents a ‘Do or Die Situation,' which means you need to put in efforts to draft an impressive cover letter.
Your Resume/ CV is a summary of all your achievements, that is, all the past matches you’ve played. On the other hand, the cover letter is your pitch. In fact, it’s an actual pitch to the recruiter about:
1. Who are you?
2. Why do you want to join that particular company?
3. What makes you unique?
4. How can you contribute to them?
Just as the first six overs in a T20 match is the Power Play and the field set up allows you to score more runs, the first two paragraphs of a cover letter are your power play where you get to score the maximum points. These two paragraphs determine whether the recruiter will consider your letter worth reading further.
The cover letter should never have the phrase, ‘To whom it may Concern’, it’s like losing a toss and getting to bat first when you want to field instead. Hence, it is always advisable to do a thorough research and know who your hiring professional is. Alternatively, cover letters can also be addressed ‘To the Recruitment Team’ or ‘To the Hiring Manager’.
The introduction of the cover letter should be engaging enough to hook the reader throughout the entire piece. It must be personalized to the company. Sparking interest in the opening statement is the key to drafting a good cover letter.
Example: “I was excited to come across the Senior Analyst position at XYZ Company. As a Junior Analyst with 2 years of experience, I have become quite talented in SQL, Python, R, and other languages to code Deep Learning Programs. I’m also proud to count ABC among my various professional achievements. I would love the opportunity to bring these skills and the same quality of service to XYZ Company as the next Senior Analyst.”
‘Name Drop,’ alternatively regarded as giving a reference, is encouraged in the first two paragraphs. Highlighting this mutual connection will increase the credibility of your pitch.
Example: “I was excited to learn of this job opportunity from my former colleague, Alex Johnson. He and I have worked closely together for many years, most recently on a complex data analysis project at XYZ Company. He thought that I would be a good match for this position on your team.”
Also, as every match has a format be it T20, ODI, or a Test Match, you also need to follow a format while framing the cover letter. It is advisable to keep it short, generally 1/3rd or 2/3rd of a page. The sample at the end of this article will give greater insights into the same.
But if every match has the same format, then IND Vs PAK should not be so hyped, the buzz around it makes no sense (?). Well, it does. The first paragraph of this article quotes HISTORY and EMOTIONS. More than anything, as an individual you have a history, a history full of experiences that define you. A story filled with emotions and feelings. Everyone’s unique, and you need to show that uniqueness by making the recruiter read your story. Instead of just quoting your achievements, you need to convey the motive or the drive behind that achievement of yours’. People connect with people through stories, and a cover letter is a chance to establish that connection with the recruiter before an actual interview.
Consider this as, if your Resume/ CV shows your passion then your cover letter should show your purpose. This will not only help you to create engagement but also add value proposition to your skills and showcase that you’ll be an asset to the company.
Example: “It was exactly two hours before a critical meeting with one of our biggest clients – and my boss had just asked me to completely redo our entire sales pitch. This caught me off guard at first, but I was motivated to do this. Under this time crunch, I reworked our pitch from the ground up, collaborating with teams across several departments to deliver a completely new presentation on time. The best part? Our client loved the pitch, and we closed the sale within 30 minutes.”
Now when the clouds cross the stadium boundary line it creates an overcast condition. These conditions are good for bowlers, but what if you’re a batswoman/ batsman. Sorry if that was a googly for you, let’s simplify it a bit. If you are a player, then you don’t want the weather conditions to act as a disadvantage for you. Similarly, while writing about your achievements in a cover letter you don’t want to cross the line and start bragging, as bragging is bad weather and it ruins the vibe of the reader. You need to be humble while mentioning your achievements.
Example:
DO: “I’ve been passionate about writing since I was the editor in chief of my middle school newspaper. Throughout my 10+ years of experience, I’ve channeled this passion into a personal blog with 20K+ monthly readers, featured articles on Forbes and Teen Vogue that have garnered over 40K views, and a writer’s workshop I founded for inner-city teens.”
DON’T: “I like to write which is obvious since I was the editor in chief of my middle school newspaper. Holding 10+ years of experience, I started a personal blog with 20K+ monthly readers, featured articles on Forbes and Teen Vogue that have garnered over 40K views, and a writer’s workshop I founded for inner-city teens.”
Lastly, don’t forget to give a Call to Action at the end, as that’s your interview after the game. The example has been shown in the format below. Also, just to be clear, if you imagined yourself to be India throughout the entire article, the recruiter or the company is not your opponent ‘Pakistan’. Indeed they are the ultimate decision-maker, that is, the umpire, the leg umpire, and the third umpire all combined together.
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