Five Keys to Writing the Perfect Legal Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is one of the more challenging parts of applying for a new legal position. We’re here to offer a few tips to keep in mind that should elevate and streamline your writing – we promise. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have an enviable cover letter in no time.
1. Make it short and sweet
A cover letter should be no more than three-quarters of a page. As most hiring managers will likely skim your letter, anything more than five or six paragraphs will be overwhelming and may end up in the trash can.
2. Keep the interesting information visible
In truth, no one really reads a cover letter word for word. Instead, as mentioned - they skim the information and pick out the most interesting parts. As a result, you should make the key points very visible. In most cases, you’ll want the key points to be in the first sentence of the paragraph. Avoid burying your strengths in the middle.
3. Cover things that aren’t covered in the resume
The cover letter shouldn’t be a repeat of all of the information in your resume. The cover letter is your opportunity to bring color to information you listed on the resume, as well as contain additional information that may be useful for this position.
4. Tailor every letter
We recommend personalizing each cover letter to the person or firm you’re applying to (if you aren’t sure who will be reading). Explain why you’re interested in that firm specifically, and how you would add to their team based on their values and principles. Establish an undeniable connection between yourself and the firm. That may look like having the exact experience they’re looking for, bringing a fitting book of business in, or having graduated from the law school where the hiring partner went to school.
5. Explain how you can help them
It’s important to sell yourself in the cover letter. In place of telling the hiring partner what you want, tell the hiring partner how you’ll fill the need that the firm currently has. The hiring partner wants to see that you can solve her problems or help where the firm needs help. Point out all the reasons how you can help her and the firm.