By: Sabrina C. Spitznagle, Principal & Founder at Loop Legal Search
Chicago Legal Recruiters – Your Recruiting Connection
Do not underestimate the importance of your cover letter, particularly in the legal industry.
Lawyers want to know that you are a strong, persuasive, and careful writer, and your cover letter is your first chance to demonstrate this. Follow these tips to draft a superior cover letter that sells you as the absolute best person for the job and gets the reader so excited about you that they want to meet you.
1. Address the letter to a specific person.
Do your homework and figure out the appropriate person to whom the cover letter should be addressed. Do not address the cover letter “To whom it may concern,” “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear Sir or Madam,” – this will not help you stand out in a good way and actually might get your application summarily dismissed. If you are using a legal recruiter, they should be drafting a cover letter for you, and they should know the person to whom the cover letter should be addressed. Do not be afraid to ask them who their contact is and to whom they are addressing the cover letter. If they don’t know or won’t tell you, consider that a serious red flag and think about working with someone else. You definitely want to make sure you use a recruiter you trust to make your best first impression.
2. Tailor your cover letter to the specific firm or company and job to which you are applying.
Use your cover letter to show that you understand the environment and culture of the law firm or company to which you are applying. Review their website and if possible, mirror their tone and language in your cover letter. At the same time, make sure your tone is professional, genuine, and approachable, and is not overly formal or weirdly enthusiastic. Additionally, tailor your cover letter to the specific job to which you are applying by using keywords from the job description. Use those keywords and phrases to explain how your skills and experiences match the specific requirements of the position.
3. Do not simply repeat what is in your resume.
Do not waste space in your cover letter by merely repeating what is on your resume. Instead, expand on the bullet points in your resume to provide a more fulsome picture of your expertise and accomplishments. Use your cover letter to provide some specific accomplishments or positive feedback that you have received in your reviews or informally to establish that you are the best match for the position. If you don’t have all the required or preferred skills, do not apologize for that or draw attention to it. Instead of saying something like “Although I have limited experience with …,” say “I am excited to build on my ___ experience and focus on ___.”
4. Write a new cover letter for each new position — do not cut & paste.
Perhaps the fastest way to get your application thrown in the garbage is to address the letter to the wrong law firm or company or to refer to a different law firm or company in the letter. If you reuse the same cover letter or use a form cover letter, you are much more likely to include the wrong company, law firm, or hiring person’s name. This absolutely will be the end of your submission, as it demonstrates that you are sloppy and makes it seem that you are sending your resume all over town. A custom cover letter for each position inevitably will be more tailored, which will emphasize that you are particularly excited about the specific opportunity.
5. Keep it short, error-free, and consistent, and finish strong.
In general, cover letters should only be a few paragraphs, and under no circumstances should they be more than a page. They are your elevator pitch. Use the same font type and size as you did for your resume. Triple check your cover letter for errors; set it aside for at least a few hours and then check it again; and then have a friend or family member proofread it for you as well. Read the letter out loud as you are proofing it – this will help you catch any errors and make sure your tone is appropriate. Especially in the legal industry, even just one spelling or grammar mistake likely will result in your application being thrown in the trash. Finally, don’t give up at the end – make sure your concluding paragraph or sentence is strong. Summarize why you are a great fit for the position in a concise and confident way, and thank the person for their consideration.