Getting a Job in CSR – Secrets for Cover Letters That Will Land You That Interview

Corporate social responsibility is a relatively new field of employment, but a growing one indeed. Corporations are realizing that, if they are to appeal to today’s consumers, they must be socially responsible. This can mean several things:

• They must become active in and support causes that are “near and dear” to their target audiences
• They must demonstrate an abiding interest in and support for environmental sustainability
• They must create content – on their websites, their social media platforms, and on their blogs - that speak to their corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Given this relatively new responsibility, many companies are now employing CSR experts – someone who can take responsibility for and successfully present their business in an attractive light, as well as respond to requests from non-profits for their support – usually financial.

In addition, to support for outside organizations, there are internal initiatives to get employees involved in social and environmental causes. CSR managers must assume these responsibilities as well.

If this is an area of your interest, passion, and expertise, then you are looking for CSR management positions as they become available.

The problem is this: because this is such a new field of employment, you may not have a lot of employment experience that you can address in your cover letter or resume. You may have a passion for this type of work, and that is great. But you will also have to demonstrate your passion for this work.

And that passion will have to be presented in your cover letter if you expect a hiring manager to take a closer look at you.

Here are a couple of tips as you craft that cover letter for a CSR position.

Present the Value You Bring

Your cover letter can demonstrate this, so do not squander the opportunity.

What value can you bring to this organization and its current need?

Try something like, “As a millennial, I understand the focus of our generation on social responsibility. It demands that companies choose to patronize that sense of responsibility. As a CSR professional, it will be my goal to present your organization as a civic-minded enterprise, committed to social and environmental health, through its support of such initiatives.”

Now you have demonstrated the value that you can bring to the organization, rather than what you want to achieve in your career.

Brianna Parkes, a career advisor and HR Manager for Essay Supply emphasizes: “A cover letter should always focus on the organization’s needs – never on what you need or want in a career. Unfortunately, too many candidates don’t understand this.”

Demonstrate Your Passion

While corporations may not share your obvious passion for social responsibility, they do want to see a candidate who does. Your cover letter should speak to that passion in specific terms – what have you done in this area?

“I grew up in a slum with a smelly landfill next door. Fortune and many helping hands saw to it that I graduated from college. My goal is to give back through a career as a CSR professional that can provide value to an organization that seeks social responsibility as well as profit.”

Telling a personal story that relates to your passion for this career is always a winner and will set you apart from the other mundane cover letters that hiring managers see.

Engaging a reader in any type of written piece means having a great hook that makes this piece stand out. Without it, the reader tunes you out. Your cover letter shouldn’t be an exception.

Don’t Take Chances with Your Cover Letter

A first impression is too critical to risk any errors. If you have any concerns at all or are struggling with the composition of a winning cover letter, then get some help. There are many tools and services that can help you make your cover letter look perfect. If nothing else, write that cover letter and submit it to professionals for review.