Spiffing Up Your Graphic Designer Cover Letter
Firstly, cover letters are the core of your application. You need to pay special attention to it, as much attention as you did your portfolio or your designs. It reflects your personality just as effectively as your graphic designs.We all know that graphic designers are visual in nature. You might be thinking, "I"m not a writer, I"m an artist!". And that"s where you"ll be wrong. For graphic artists not only communicate through their designs right? You also need excellent communication skills for you will be dealing with co-workers, immediate superiors and sometimes, clients.
Second, your graphic designer cover letter will tell your prospective employers all they need to know about you, even without looking at your designs. The way you make your letter, poorly or efficiently, will tell them how capable you are to handle the work load.
A messy and neglected cover letter will ensure you minus points, guaranteed. Think about it, if you were in the shoes of the employer, would you hire someone who can"t even present a good letter? Most companies today require their employees to be skilled and competent. And multitasking.
Enough with the preliminaries. Let"s get down to writing your own graphic designer cover letter. Here are some guidelines in writing your own:
1. Open your dictionary
-a cover letter need not be the mundane, ordinary thing that the employer reads every day. Spiff it up using powerful words to tell them your abilities and skills. Use words like "I am confident..." or "I am qualified...". Let them know that you believe yourself to be the best man for the job.
2. Do your research
-Companies like it when they"re well-known. No, really. If you dig up some information about the company, about what they do, what they need and express your knowledge through your letter, that will more or less up your chances. This shows your employers that you came prepared for questions.
3. Seize the reader"s attention
- Start your cover letter with an attention-grabbing statement. This will ensure interest in your letter and make you stand out among the others. The trick here is to make your application stick in the employer"s mind. In a good way, of course. It would also be a good idea to package your letter in complement to your portfolio. Colors or fonts that belnd well will indicate that you"ve given the whole presentation a lot of thought and attention.
4. Sell yourself
- Pointing out your good points is the hardest thing in writing a cover letter. You might feel shy or embarrassed, thinking that you"re selling yourself shamelessly. But do take note that companies need to know what you can and cannot do. Experience is an important part of the hiring process, so don"t hold back in citing your qualifications. Assessing how well you fit the job description will depend upon this part of your letter.
5. Don"t forget your contact details.
- Situate them in a place that will give maximum impact. As a designer, you know the importance of location. This will impress upon them your willingness to be contacted for future interviews. Don"t forget to include a short statement about your availability too.