People make mistakes in this area so often that it’s really worth writing about 10 times over. Some people will focus only on their case interview skills, spending next to no time on creating a quality resume and consulting cover letter. Others will take it a step further and do their best to create an impressive resume but will somehow assume that the cover letter is just a formality alongside it, and rush it.
It is crucial not to belong to any of the 2 groups of people mentioned above if you want to even get a chance to ace your case interview. A quality consulting cover letter is essential to accompany your resume as a clear statement as to why you are cut out for that job at that specific company. You can enhance it with the motivation that got you into consulting, go a bit more in-depth than in your resume.
Cover Letter Contents
Unlike your resume, the cover letter for your job application needs a bit more personalization. It’s not just about repeating everything you said in your resume – that would be redundant. It’s about putting some personality into it, giving the recruiting manager a few ideas about what kind of a person you are, why they would want to employ you, why you would be a great fit for the job, and why you chose them over any other company out there. For a more detailed, in-depth guide on this subject, feel free to visit myconsultingcoach.com/consulting-cover-letter.
Importance Of A Good Cover Letter
Did you know that about 60% of applicants will not even get called up because their resumes and cover letters ended up in the bin after only a few seconds? Well, if you didn’t, now you do. Your resume will only get you so far. Should it catch the eye of the recruiting manager, they will get straight into your consulting cover letter.
To the recruiting staff, it’s not all about the skills that you possess. They will want to see that you know what you are aiming for, how well you will fit into their company spirit, and they want to make sure that your motivation is in the right place. Your cover letter needs to address all those issues and let them know why you are the perfect candidate for the position they are recruiting for.
Getting Started
Without further ado, let’s get a bit more into the details of writing your consulting cover letter. What to write down, what to avoid, how to format it, the whole lot.
Formatting
As much as we often like to tell you that you need to stand out from the crowd to get noticed in these interviews and applications – this is probably the only area where this rule does not apply. Stick to regular cover letter formats, don’t use any crazy fonts or colors, and no photos either. Trying anything of the sort will only get your application sent to the bottom of the recycle bin without hesitation.
Keep the paragraphs short for easier reading, use normal fonts and regular margins size, and as with any letter, put your full name, contact information, and date at the top of the page. Always double check your info, as any typing error could lead to you not getting called up because the recruiting manager couldn’t reach you.
Also, do yourself a favor by not making it too long for anyone to read. Try to stick to one printable page.
Content
This is the part where you need to be unique and specific. You’ll need to highlight your greatest previous experiences and achievements and present them in such a manner that will catch the attention of the recruiting manager. It is always a good idea to create a link between your skills and achievements.
To show fully how you applied your skills to achieve certain results, as that is what recruiters will be looking out for the most, as every employer wants and expects results.
A lot of what you write down here will serve another purpose. You will likely go through some of it again should you get called up for the interview. The fit interview part also focuses on why you are the right one for the job, your motivation for consulting in general, etc. So what you write down here might actually bring up a question from the interviewer later on. Always keep that in mind.
Personalizing
Let’s just make it clear at the start. Using a template consulting cover letter for multiple companies, with just changing a few details will not cut it here. The competition is massive, and the recruiters will always be looking for someone who is showing signs that they really want to work at that specific company.
Long-term employment is what each and every one of these companies is after. So if you are blatantly showing signs that you are copying your cover letters and sending them out wherever you get the chance, you’ve guessed it – your application is going straight to the bin.
Do your research about the company you are applying for, know their methods and their values, what they do, and how they do it. Then do your best to explain how great you would fit in, how adaptable you are, and what they would gain by recruiting you for this position.
Do not go over the top with how much you would like to work there – you don’t want to sound desperate or obsessive, or just seem that you are trying to use their brand and name for your personal benefit. Make sure to let them know that you think the benefits would be mutual.
Final Thoughts
It is understandable that the biggest worry in your mind while applying for this job is the case interview itself. It is a very demanding interview where you will need to be at the top of your game. However, you should really be aware that without the adequate consulting cover letter, you really will not make it to the interview at all, rendering all your preparation useless.
So take your time to create the perfect resume and consulting cover letter in order to maximize your chances of getting called up. When you look at it that way, that any preparation for the case interview has no use if you don’t get the chance to apply it, you could safely say that the resume and consulting cover letter are the most important part of the whole application process, couldn’t you?
