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I'm new to this and applying to jobs at banks as a teller, animal hospitals as front desks, and animal shelters too. The first one pays a lot than what I am used to, the other two are in the field I want to work in the future. So it will matter a lot if I get these jobs. So I figure to be professional and write cover letters.
I have no idea how.
Now I was never taught how in high school, and relatives I actually speak to really don't know what to do. So I'm lost and need advice.
I am aware of templates online, but those all say literally the exact same thing and every advice blog does as well. So I figure "real people" could offer me better advice than Google.
Like I'll appreciate any advice given, I really need it like I need these jobs. And since my resume isn't the prettiest thing on earth, never been fired but job type wise, I hope that a cover letter can convince an employer (if they even read it) otherwise.
Keep in mind, I type professional letters and documents very differently than I do here.
But in all seriousness I would love real advice. I need it and this'll be my third cover letter ever written. So I'm also very new to this.
I think the days of long cover letters are over. A short "transmittal" letter expressing your interest in the job and relevant background is all you need.
Write you cover letter to be specific to the job you are applying to. Don't use a universal cover letter.
THIS. I have had people ask me to help with their cover letter. Then I ask "for what"? They say a universal cover, and that's the problem right there. I make a new one for every single job. Sometimes it's a short 1 or 2-paragraph letter and for others (like some federal jobs) it can be two pages.
For people who say the resume is more important than the cover letter, it is important. However, I did go into one interview thinking it would be all about my resume and the entire interview was based on my cover letter. Make sure you save each cover letter and give it a detailed name because when it matters, it matters! I was absolutely kicking myself for not reading the letter beforehand (since I'd written several after that one).
I'm new to this and applying to jobs at banks as a teller, animal hospitals as front desks, and animal shelters too. The first one pays a lot than what I am used to, the other two are in the field I want to work in the future. So it will matter a lot if I get these jobs. So I figure to be professional and write cover letters.
I have no idea how.
Now I was never taught how in high school, and relatives I actually speak to really don't know what to do. So I'm lost and need advice.
I am aware of templates online, but those all say literally the exact same thing and every advice blog does as well. So I figure "real people" could offer me better advice than Google.
Like I'll appreciate any advice given, I really need it like I need these jobs. And since my resume isn't the prettiest thing on earth, never been fired but job type wise, I hope that a cover letter can convince an employer (if they even read it) otherwise.
Keep in mind, I type professional letters and documents very differently than I do here.
But in all seriousness I would love real advice. I need it and this'll be my third cover letter ever written. So I'm also very new to this.
For the ones for the animal hospital, I would be honest and just say you love animals and that you are looking for a job that you enjoy and look forward to doing, that it would give you the type of experience that would propel you towards a career that you enjoy.
For the ones for the bank, just use a template. Everybody else who is applying for that job just wants the $ too, so just spend some time on it, proofread it, and throw it in the pile.
Cover letters can be very important for some job searches. Orionstars and RamenAddict are correct, make it specific to each job.
Important- Write in your own voice, don't try to guss it up or formalize it.
Second- Know who you are writing to, what the company is and what it does.
Third- Connect the job to you, why this company? Why this position?
For current good advice, go to askamanager.org and do an archive search there, lots of great input.
So basically just make it specific to the job I'm applying to and use relevant information?
If your resume looks unlikely for a bank, then you need to convince them you can work for a bank. What skills did you gain from the jobs you did have that would help you in the bank? They might not be obvious, so can you point it out in the cover letter? You should use the cover letter to explain things that aren't already obvious in the resume. Simply parroting what is in the resume is a waste of space. Tell them something new.
I think the cover letter is important for everyone. I think it shows that a person at least has a minimal level of competence at writing and communicating. If they have clear spelling/grammar errors, out it goes. If it looks like a standard boilerplate cover letter and there are 100 other resumes that are similar, I'd probably toss it as well. If a person can communicate effectively and keep me interested, then I would probably give them an interview.
For animal jobs, yeah you love animals. Some of these animals will be traumatized, scared, etc. Talk about skills you'd have in those situations. If you are working at an animal hospital front desk, you'll also be dealing with nervous/frantic pet owners wanting to know what is happening with their sick pets. How can you handle that stress level. It's not just about loving animals, but dealing with stressful situations involving animals and people!
The point of your cover letter is to get them to read your resume. The point of your resume is to get you an interview. There may be hundreds of resumes submitted for a particular position, so your cover letter is as important as your resume. And yes, there are job listings that require a cover letter as well as a resume (I've seen several lately).
Tailor your cover letter for the company and position you're applying for as others have said -- and be sure to read up on the company on their website before you write the letter since that may help you tailor your cover letter for that company.
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