Glowing recommendations in your LinkedIn profile can be a huge help in proving your value as an employee, but they're pretty much useless if employers don't take the time to look you up. So why not call attention to them by adding one to your cover letter? It's a great way to make your case for the job. Here's how:
Find a Great Quote
If you're lucky, you'll have a few recommendations to choose from. Pick the one that paints you in the best light. It's okay to use an excerpt if the full recommendation is lengthy, but make sure to leave the original wording and intent alone, since a prospective employer could be intrigued enough to double-check your source.
Make it Flow
You can't just drop in a recommendation without leading into it. Incorporating a paragraph that clearly defines a way you can contribute to the company (which should be included in every cover letter anyway) will set the tone for the recommendation. Here's what I mean:
Lead-in paragraph
My 10 years of web design experience in the B2C sector, especially for retail businesses, can be of immense help to your expansion plans in the western U.S.
Drop-in recommendation
To further prove the value I could add to your team, please consider this recommendation:
"Katie has a great eye for detail and follows instruction to a T. If her clients change focus mid-way through a project, she has a keen ability to switch tracks and deliver stunning materials with the new focus in mind. Besides print projects at A Big Company, LLC, Katie has done some freelance work for an up-and-coming business in Amherst, including designing a storefront sign, billboard ad, and brochure pieces, all of which attract new business to the store. She is a very versatile, deadline-conscious designer and I highly recommend her work!"
- James Mardel, Former Graphic Designer at A Big Company, LLC
Ideally, you'd add the quote at the end of your letter, right before your closing paragraph (you know, the one that says thanks for your consideration, I'll be in touch, etc.).
If the person left a recommendation on your public LinkedIn profile, it's fair game to reproduce in your letters. I've used this approach in several cover letters I've written for friends and they've been juggling interviews ever since. I can't say they got the interviews because of this unique addition (their resumes rocked, too), but it's a good sign that they're doing things right to get a foot in the door!
Have you added quotes to your own cover letters before? Did it work out? If not, add one, then come back to tell me if it worked!
RELATED LINKS
When and How to Name-Drop in Your Cover Letter
6 Reasons You Won't Get Hired Without a Cover Letter
What a great blog, Brianna! I bet, by doing this, it will guarantee me an interview in no time. I always wondered if employers ever look you up on LinkedIn... now, it's right in front of them!
Thanks for this helpful tip - it'll definitely set me apart from all the other cover letters out there!
When I was job seeking during a layoff, I used a quote from my latest performance review where my supervisor talked about how dependable I was. I'm sure it didn't hurt, and I did get quite a few interviews.
Your first impression may be the last impression; this is especially true in CV writing and just as importantly writing your cover letter, as it is practically the first thing that one reads. Therefore, writing a good cover letter is as important as writing a good curriculum vitae (CV). So, even if you have one of the best resumes in the world, and lack a good cover letter chances are that your CV may be discarded by a potential employer, thus ruining your chances of getting an interview call for one of the dream jobs. In order to avoid such a situation, it is important to learn to write an effective cover letter for CV.