On the thirty-fifth installment of Tristan's Tips, our special guest Tristan Layfield talks about a few things that could be holding up your job search. There are three common mistakes that you might be making that could be the reason why your employers aren’t calling - learn what they are and how to avoid them!

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TRANSCRIPT

Tristan: What is going on, y'all? It's Tristan Layfield of Layfield Resume Consulting, and I've teamed up with Living Corporate to bring you all a weekly career tip. This week we’re going to add to some of the previous tips I’ve given you on cover letters by discussing 3 tips to tailor and strengthen your cover letter.

Similar to your resume your cover letter should be tailored for each position you’re submitting it to. Since I know most people hate writing cover letters, that’s easier said than done. So I wanted to provide a couple of tips to make tailoring and strengthening your cover letter a little easier.

First, use portions of the job description. If you want to get a job, you have to be able to talk to the talk. Take the time to identify and incorporate keywords and phrases from the job description to you ensure you’re speaking their language. Often times you can pick up on which points relate to your experience just by reading the job description.

Next, try to tie in the company’s mission or core values. Doing this shows that you’ve done your homework. That you’ve researched and you understand WHY you want to want for this company or organization. It also displays how your skills and experience fit into the larger context of the organization and by proxy how YOU fit into the company or organization.

Lastly, try to tell a story. The path you took to gain the relevant skills for this role is unique which is a selling point for you. Use your highlights and accomplishment to build a compelling narrative showcasing how your interest in the role or company came about. Just be careful not to go too farin-depth.

Unlike resumes, cover letters provide an area to get a little bit more creative so use that to your advantage to make a lasting impression.

This tip was brought to you by Tristan of Layfield Resume Consulting. Check us out on Instagram, twitter, and facebook at @layfieldresume or connect with me, Tristan Layfield, on LinkedIn!