How To Create An Instructional Design Cover Letter
Your Instructional Design Resume may get all the glory, but the Instructional Design Cover Letter is a powerful, and often overlooked, tool that can make a world of difference when it comes to landing your dream job. It needs to grab the hiring managers’ attention and make them want to keep reading, or else even the most painstakingly crafted resume isn't going to be given that all-important first glance. Here are just a few tips that can help you create a strong Instructional Design Cover Letter.
- Follow the format.
It's always nice to stand out and use your creativity, however, when creating your instructional design cover letter there is a specific format you'll probably want to stick to. Here are the all-important elements you will want to include, in order:- Contact Information
Before you get to the “meat” of your instructional design cover letter, you will need to include your name, address, telephone number, and email address. In this section you should also write the date, and any employer contact information that you feel is pertinent (like the name, title, and address). - Greeting
This is also known as the salutation, and should be kept short and sweet. For example, you can begin the letter with a “Dear Mr. Smith”. If you are addressing the letter to a woman and are unsure of her marital status, then opt for “Ms.”, just to err on the side of caution. - Introduction
State what specific position you are applying for and how you found out about the instructional design job opening. Try not to name drop here, but do mention if someone has referred you. - Description
This is where you draw the hiring managers in. Tell them about your skills, talents, and past experiences that are relevant to the position. Convince them that you are the ideal candidate for the job by displaying how your abilities and achievements make you the perfect addition to their team. - Closing
Let them know what you are planning on doing next. Will you contact them within one week if you haven't heard from them by then, or are you going to wait for them to reach out to you? In this section you will also want to include your email address or phone number again, and then end with your signature.
- Contact Information
- Show off your instructional design talents and skills.
Your instructional design resume is the place where you present in depth your qualifications. However, they won't be motivated to review your instructional design resume if you don't give them a glimpse of your talents and skills in the instructional design cover letter. The hiring managers need to know if you are the one who is going to potentially solve the problems that the organization is facing, or that you are going to fill a gap they currently have in their team. So, let them know about any Instructional Design experience and training that you have and what eLearning software you are familiar with, including eLearning authoring tools and LMSs. Consider adding specific key terms that will grab their attention. For each prerequisite that the employer has listed on their instructional design job posting, match it with a skill or talent that you have. - Personalize your salutation.
While some job seeking guides might say that it's perfectly acceptable to address your letter generically to a “sir” or “madam”, avoid this at all costs. Instead, do some research and find out who the hiring manager or interviewer is, so that you can make the salutation personal. You can also check out LinkedIn or other social media sites to find out the name of the HR manager. - Remember that your instructional design cover letter should be concise but enticing.
It's never wise to make your instructional design cover letter a word-for-word copy of your resume. Keep in mind that your instructional design cover letter is just an attention grabber, not a detailed description of all of your accomplishments and talents. Be clear and concise, so that they don't get bored or overwhelmed by an abundance of unnecessary information. Avoid going into detail about specific dates or numbers, as these belong on your resume. Instead, include examples or stories that make them want to know more about you. - Custom tailor each and every instructional design cover letter.
It's perfectly fine to have a pre-made instructional design cover letter that you use for reference, but you should be custom tailoring every instructional design cover letter based upon the instructional design job position and company. All of your qualifications, references, and skills should tie into the instructional design position that you are applying for, and the tone should be in-line with the company culture. As such, you will need to create a new instructional design cover letter for every resume, to insure that it's personalized and custom tailored for the specific needs of the company. - Be confident, not arrogant.
This rule applies to both the content you include and the editing of your instructional design cover letter. First and foremost, show off your content creation talents by being concise, but inventive, when writing your instructional design cover letter. Let them know about all of your instructional design qualifications, without making it seem as though you have the job in the proverbial bag. Walk the fine line between confidence and arrogance, so that you don't seem off putting. Remember, you want them to want to meet you, not be offended by an instructional design cover letter filled to the brim with bragging. Also, once you've finished your instructional design cover letter, read it over at least three times. Don't assume that it's error-free, because just one mistake can land your resume in the “no” pile.
Keep this list of tips at-the-ready when creating your instructional design cover letter to make an amazing and altogether memorable first impression! Also, you are more than welcome to add your Instructional Design resume at eLearningJobs.com
In addition, getting into instructional design is a very desirable career choice at present, and so many people want to get into it but are often not sure where to start. I highly encourage you to read the articles How To Get A Job As An Instructional Designer and the Top 10 Instructional Designer Skills.
Also, you should also keep in mind that it is more than sure that hiring managers will be venturing online to get a closure look at your professional experience. In the article How eLearning Professionals Can Create an Effective Online Presence you will find 5 tips that will give you the opportunity to gain online exposure and keep your eLearning career in good standing.
Last but not least, regardless of your specialty or intended audience, you should never underestimate the importance of building your online portfolio. In the article 6 Top Tips to Build A Solid eLearning Portfolio you will find all you need to know about the process of creating an eLearning portfolio that effectively demonstrates your talents and skill sets to your potential employers and clients.
