Would a good cover letter increase your chances of landing an interview? Yes.
Do we have any specific tips for Manual Tester applications? Yes.
Are cover letters the same as resumes, but longer? Definitely not!
So what are cover letters?
Well, great cover letters give you the opportunity to tell a personal story, while making the right impression and proving you’re the best candidate at the same time.
Need more details? Let’s dive deep.
Make your manual tester cover letter stand out
The secret to making your Manual Tester cover letter remarkable is to share your excitement about the company, the field, and the position.
It’s also a good idea to aim not to re-write your resume, but rather to build upon it and expand on your competencies.
Now, let's look at some other things that will make recruiters remember you.
Choose the right salutation and write a strong introduction
Addressing your cover letter to a person is always something you should aim to do.
But finding who's responsible for the recruitment process might not be the easiest thing. We get it.
In such cases, we advise you to stick to the gender-neutral cover letter salutations.
Here are some examples of suitable classic salutations:
- To the [team you're applying for] Department,
- Dear Paul Black,
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear Ms. Stone
The introduction of your Manual Tester cover letter is what will get you remembered. But how can you make sure that your opening line is good enough?
Rumor has it, many people out there have started using phrases like “I found your job advert on website X and decided to apply” ever more often. But more importantly – that recruiters are already getting tired of it.
So instead of saying what everyone else is saying, we advise you to go for a more honest approach. Begin your cover letter by explaining what excites you about the company and how this excitement will help you on your journey towards success.
Emphasize your manual tester soft skills and mention your hard skills
Although you’ve probably listed (or are planning to list) your hard skills on your resume, don’t forget to mention them in your cover letter as well. One way to do that is by telling a personal story.
You can share how some of your skills or qualities have helped you achieve goals in the past. Or perhaps you want to talk about the things that help you get over challenges. You decide.
Naturally, both soft and hard skills should be present here. It’s especially important to include skills and qualifications that have been mentioned as part of the job description or the requirements section of the advert. This will help you pass applicant tracking systems that screen documents for certain keywords.
Prove that you're familiar with the company
How can you prove your excitement about the company? By showing that you’ve taken the time to research its issues, goals, and plans. You can also link them to your skills and experience if you want to show that you're really a strong candidate.
In addition to making a great impression, researching the company will help you find out if you really want to be part of this team or not. After all, interviewing is a two-way process.
Choose the right ending
While a strong introduction makes a great first impression, a confident, yet considerate conclusion is essentially what will get you a callback.
There are different ways to end your cover letter. But remember – the closing line you choose should match the company culture.
Your safest bet would be going for traditional phrases like “Looking forward to hearing from you” or “Looking forward to your reply”. For bonus points, add a simple “Thank you for your time and consideration”.
