There are a variety of techniques and tips you can use to help you write a standout cold cover letter. The salutation is one of the most important parts of your cover letter because it is the first part that will likely be read and will determine who receives your cover letter and résumé. The body of your cover letter should clearly and concisely demonstrate what skills you have that might be useful to the company, as well as how you can contribute to its improvement. To emphasize your value to the reader, you should end with a strong and assertive statement.
A cold cover letter is a cover letter that is typically sent with a résumé to a company that is not actively recruiting new employees. Because it is more likely to stand out among dozens or hundreds of other résumés and applications, this type of cold application can be quite effective. A cold cover letter can reach an employer when he or she is looking for new employees but before the company has started actively recruiting.
The salutation, which is the first part of your cold cover letter, is also one of the most important parts. You should do some research on the company to which you are sending your letter and determine who you should contact for possible job opportunities. This will allow you to address your letter directly to that person, preventing it from being misplaced or discarded as an unsolicited advertisement. If you can’t find the name of a hiring manager, instead of “To whom it may concern,” address your cold cover letter to “Dear Human Resources Manager.”
To make your cold cover letter as effective as possible, you should spend some time refining the body. The body should be strong and assertive, demonstrating which skills are valuable to the company. This is an area where research can be beneficial, and you should try to include specific information about the company. This could include a recent magazine article about the company or a company announcement about growth opportunities.
Continue to be assertive, perhaps even aggressive, as you wrap up your cold cover letter. Keep in mind that you’re contacting a company that hasn’t requested new applications, so be courteous while asserting your worth. Rather than passively requesting that the person you are contacting contact you, end your cover letter by thanking him or her and indicating that you will contact him or her in the future.