As writers, we are very conscious of words and how they are used (or we should be).We know that the words we choose to use in our work matter, but do we give the same care to the language we use when writing a cover letter?
If you are applying for a brick and mortar job, the goal of writing your cover letter should be to get invited to meet with the employer for an interview. When you write a cover letter for a freelance writing gig, your focus is a bit different.
Many clients don’t interview in the traditional sense. They base their hiring decision on the materials that an applicant submits only: your samples, resume and your cover letter. Given that you can’t hold back anything in your application to share during the interview process, since there may never be a formal “interview,” the language that you choose for your cover letter becomes even more important.
You should be using your cover letter as a way to make your case to the client about why he or she should hire you. One way to make yourself appear more attractive as a candidate is to make note of the words the client uses in his or her ad and try to incorporate them into your cover letter. Doing so will indicate to the client that the two of you are speaking the same language.
Using the mirroring technique will help you convince the client that you are the right person to meet their writing needs. It only takes a few moments to go through the ad carefully and make note of the words that jump out at you. As you write your customized cover letter, you can make a point of using them to present yourself in the best possible way to increase your chances of getting the gig.
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