Using Cover Letters to Tell Your Story

Nicole Jarvis, LMSW on April 25, 2022

tags: Cover Letter, Job Hunting, Job Search, Resume

You've been job searching for weeks and you're feeling exhausted. You just clicked send on an email with your resume and cover letter when you realize, oh no! You mistakenly put the wrong company name in the cover letter! Though an innocent mistake, it is one that could potentially cost you the chance of getting an interview.

So often the cover letter is overlooked as a useful and impactful tool when looking for work. While your resume lays out (hopefully neatly) your work experience, your cover letter is the opportunity to really tell your story. However, many job seekers are worn out by the job hunt process and often copy and paste a company name and job title into a generic cover letter. Aside from the obvious risks discussed above, you're also not using this opportunity to it's full advantage. A cover letter can provide the chance for you to explain how your experience makes you the best candidate, or the ways in which the skills you've gained from other positions and experiences have prepared you for this specific role.

With all of that said, it's no secret the job search can feel exhausting. The amount of mental energy that goes into the process can leave many feeling deflated. While we don't encourage using the exact same cover letter for different job applications, our friends at The Muse highlight two useful templates to make creating a tailored cover letter much easier without having to start from scratch each time. Let's go over their suggestions, and how to make them work.

Cover letter template #1: Highlight your past positions. This follows the structure of a focus on a past job or experience. This is useful if the job you're applying for is similar, or in the same family, as what you've done in the past.

Cover letter template #2: Emphasize your skills. Perhaps you're interested in a new career that isn't totally aligned with your past experience. This is an excellent opportunity to highlight your transferrable skills and explain why you're the right one for the position. Take a look at the recording of our webinar on Enhancing Your Skills: Prepping for Success to get more insight into how to best identify and showcase your skills when looking for work.

Regardless of the template you decide to use, there are a few components of a cover letter that are always must-haves:

A salutation.  A job listing doesn't always have the name of the hiring manager, but putting in some time to do a little research on who heads the department can be a positive for you. If you can't find a name, try to be creative and avoid the "To whom it may concern" if you can help it.

A strong opening statement. This keeps the reader engaged and wanting to continue reading on.

A few body paragraphs discussing why you're the best candidate, examples to back this up, and skills that would work well in the role.

A thoughtful ending. While you should thank them for reading your letter, you'll want to include something to leave the hiring manager with a lasting impression that reiterates your interest in the role and your qualifications.

It is also important to consider disclosure when writing cover letters. Cancer and Careers often gets questions from patients and survivors regarding if/when to disclose, particularly during the job search. While some assume the cover letter is the place to do so, we tend to encourage job seekers to think through this decision. A cover letter is not a dynamic exchange, meaning there's no guarantee how the hiring manager or employer will absorb that information. In the event there are concerns or questions about this personal information that's been shared, the applicant wouldn't have the opportunity to answer any of those questions or explain anything away. There's no right or wrong way to handle disclosure, but rather you want to make sure that you're making an informed decision. Read more about the role of disclosure, including timing, during the job search in our article on Managing Disclosure When Looking for a Job.

Cancer and Careers offers a number of additional resources and services that can help with the job search, particularly around resume and cover letter writing:

And, as with any cancer and work-related concerns, feel free to reach out to us directly with any questions at cancerandcareers@cew.org.