Careers Are Made With A Cover Letter
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Author Is a cover letter really important for a person’s career? Why is a well written cover letter so important for a person finding a job? A cover letter acts as a form of introduction to a person. How a cover letter is written really matters. That is, the wording and the phrases along with the format, makes a lot of difference in how it is viewed. It is very true that careers can be made with something as small and simple as a cover letter. Because a cover letter is what brings you and your resume to attention.
There are a few things to keep in mind while writing a cover letter for your job application. The first and foremost to know is the standard format. The normal format of a cover letter has a header which contains the senders name and information the receivers name and information, the date and a salutation. The next is the introduction that is written designed to grab the reader’s attention to what it is the letter is regards to. The actual body of the cover letter is what is very important because it gives a prelude to what can be found in the resume and how it could prove advantages to the potential employer to hire you and how your skill set could enhance their business. This is the most basic thing to know while writing a cover letter.
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The next advice is to keep the language as simple and plain as possible. Do not add on any jargons or technical words to try and impress the person you are sending it to. This is because most of the time cover letters are written for job applications and that is the first impression you give to your future employers. Be careful about how you word them. You are selling your knowledge and capability here so make sure you get the right message across. Use plain and simple English language. The language has to be understood by anybody reading it and there should be no place for any type of misunderstanding.
- Use active language to write the cover letter. That is you need to put yourself first in the sentence and then about what you have done. This type of sentence formation is attractive to read and showcases you and what you have done for whom or what.
- Always try and keep your sentences as short as possible. That is long and winding sentences are too descriptive and boring to read as letters. They work better in books but not in letters. Get the message across with as little words as possible. This makes the words you use stronger. Also cover letters are usually read in glance to get the gist of the person so make it as factual and short as possible.
- The details can be handled in the resume, give the basic facts here, that’s all. Always highlight what they need or highlight all the facts that meet their requirements.
Make sure that the wording is such that it passes on the message that you are open for any eventualities if any that would include the possibility that you might need to move across the country. To say more about this when you are applying for a job that could involve relocation of sorts then you need to make it clear to your future employers the reason if any that why you want that relocation or if it is for the job you need to let them know you are ready for that. Also getting the information about a convenient time and date for the interview is very important. So you need to keep yourself open and make it very clear that when and where you will be available for interviews. There should not be any chance of miscommunication.
Rather than writing the standardised form of the letter try something new. It is known as the two column format. This type of cover letter really works for you when you are sending the resume for a particular job and where the information to be given is specific to it. This is an amazing way of getting the attention to your resume. The first and the last paragraph are very similar to the normal format where you give generic information about you and what post you are applying for. The last paragraph also follows the similar pattern. However in this type of cover letter the middle of the letter is very important because once you capture the attention of the reader in the first paragraph you need to keep it to get your message through. The body of the letter is split into two columns. One side that would have to be the left-hand side talks about what are the requirements that is wanted by the employer in the employee and the right-hand side is all about how you have it or qualify for it. It says whether your skill set matches their requirements. This type of letter is very important because even if you fall short of a couple of requirements you can impress them with what you do have. It gives you a chance to be called for an interview where you can have your say and convince the interviewers that even if you do not have that particular knowledge you have the skill to learn it. That is what really matters. This type of cover letter is excellent when you are looking for a career change. Here you might not have the experience but have all the skill and knowledge that might get you a chance at the job.
This type of a cover letter can also be used for getting a job through the networking process. That is, it happens through friends and acquaintances. You give your cover letter and resume to them so that they can pass it out to whomsoever they know. This makes sure that your resume is out there and gives you a chance.
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8 Simple Rules for the Perfect Cover Letter
The quality and finesse of a well crafted cover letter is enough for any resume to stand out and sweep your recruiters off their feet. A cover letter is a letter of introduction that is generally attached as a supporting document to a resume. A cover letter goes by many names such as covering letter, motivational letter, letter of motivation or motivation letter so do not be baffled if the names are interchanged because they all demand the same document. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to mention things that may not have been appropriate to mention in the resume section. A cover letter also allows you to elaborate on experiences that may have received a mere passing mention in the resume in order to perhaps explain their relevance to you and the job being applied for.
Your cover letter is your best chance of sweeping a potential employer of their feet.
Rule # 1: Write a cover letter and attach it to your resume. No matter whether it is required or how many people are accustomed to writing one, always include a cover letter in your job application! In keeping with proper business etiquette, attaching a cover letter to your resume is imperative for the purpose of marketing yourself as a professional candidate. Besides, it makes more room to present yourself the way you want your employers to see you!
Rule # 2: Use a professional format. This is a prerequisite to any component of a good job application. A clear, simple and common sans serif font style such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman with a font size of ten to twelve points is best. It must also be kept in mind that different font styles are of different real sizes even if they are the same number of points in font size. For a neat cut, include a 1.5 inches margin which may be adjusted to suit the cover letter depending on its size and presentation needs.
Rule # 3: Keep it personal. It is a good step to address the employer directly, and by name if possible, which shows that you have done your homework and researched the company. Since the cover letter is an illustration of your interest, a subtle demonstration of your research will benefit the impression you make. Use as many details about the company as are appropriate. Addressing the job description or advertisement pointedly and directly while demonstrating how your skills are relevant to the job you are applying for is definitely necessary to include in a cover letter.
Rule # 4: Maintain a professional, yet friendly tone throughout the cover letter. For instance you may say use the greeting ‘dear’ but may not use the employer’s first name. You may request a meeting or interview with the employer but may not state a time unless permitted. While some companies may appreciate a phone call as a follow up or as part of research, the employer’s wishes must be respected if it was specifically suggested that phone calls are unwelcome. Know how to balance the fine line between friendly professionalism and unprofessional friendliness.
Rule # 5: Avoid stating specific salary requirements, even if asked. If implored, then go only as far as to provide a wide range from what you feel is appropriate. Use your best judgement in this regard. The salary requirement may be acknowledged in the cover letter, but never specifically because providing a solid numerical would seriously mar its power for negotiation. A good strategy to avoid specifying a salary in your cover letter might be to state in your conclusion that once mutual interest has been established, that you would be happy to discuss the salary. This would postpone the discussion to a time when you can calmly negotiate money matters without mixing it with your employer’s first impression of you and your potential.
Rule # 6: Avoid reiterating what has already been stated in your resume. The cover letter provides a wonderful opportunity to portray who you are and what you want in a career which is something that cannot be fully expressed in the resume. The cover letter adds personality to the resume- your personality. This is a good platform for an applicant to display all sorts of skills that a dry, uniform resume may not demonstrate on its own such as writing skills, personality, interest in the job, aptitude for the job and critical thinking skills to name a few. The cover letter is complimentary to the resume, which means it must give a more whole impression of the applicant, adding a human touch to the credentials while interpreting them to suit the jobs needs.
Rule # 7: Stay focussed. The cover letter must be a concise document, focussing on the employer’s needs and how your credentials, qualifications and skills are adapted to them. Chalking out the employer’s needs and your skills in a table on separate pieces of paper may be a helpful tool for connecting the two. While it may be tempting to analyze all your skills and qualifications against all the employer’s expressed needs, it must be kept in mind that a cover letter must be no more than a page long. Which such an essential aspect of a cover letter that it cannot be categorized as a rule but an overarching principle!
Rule # 8: Proofread the document before mailing it in. You have this one shot to get your dream job and you want to be prepared with a perfect version of you. The first impression you make will decide your future in that company so you want them to know that you are a reliable, detail-sensitive perfectionist! What better way to illustrate this than making sure the cover letter, the substitute candidate, is as perfect as can be. This will be easy once you memorize these eight simple rules. It is always useful to get a second opinion, preferably an experienced and unbiased one, to ensure that you have an effective cover letter.
These eight simple rules to writing your golden cover letter are all you need to carry you through all the way into your dream career. Be competitive, be astute and be concise and your cover letter will be the golden reed in the large stack of hay that some know as the job market.
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The What, Where, Why of a Cover Letter
Cover letter is actually a letter of introduction. It acts as an introduction to whatever it is you are sending. It introduces whatever it is that you are sending. The most common reason for a cover letter is for a resume. It introduces you to the potential employer. It explains your suitability for a particular position. It is very important because a recruiter searches for resumes based on certain keywords and these keywords can be emphasised in the cover letter. The cover letter should summarise your resume, but should highlight all your skill set that is essential for the job requirements.
The keyword and the phrases you use should be in such a way that it captures the attention of the person going through it. A cover letter is what provides the first impression along with the introduction. Your language and the way you express yourself is judged here. Always try and keep the cover letter as simple as possible. Explain yourself and your capabilities in very simple and short sentences. Keep the language plain and clean. Do not use jargons and technical words unnecessarily. The person reading it might be looking only for certain keywords without much knowledge on the subject and just might ignore it. So make sure the contents of the cover letter are understood by anybody reading it.
It should not be long and winding. Some might just get bored reading it and not go through the resume. The first paragraph should be written is such a way that it captures the attention of the reader and then the body of the letter should hold that attention. It is like selling products on the market. You put yourself in the light possible, but it does not mean you write something that is not there. Keep it very honest and straight forward. This is because if you write something that is not true and they find out about it later it could cause you problems and they could ban your resume from being circulated.
To avoid all of this be honest about what you have and emphasise on it. Do not worry if you lack maybe a couple of requirements. You can write the cover letter in such a way that they might be impressed and call you for an interview. At this interview you might be able to convince them to give you a chance to learn about all the necessary skills and requirements. It is a chance to show them that you are capable of it.
The normal format of a cover letter has a header which contains the senders name and information the receivers name and information, the date and a salutation. The next is the introduction that is written designed to grab the reader’s attention to what it is the letter is regards to. The actual body of the cover letter is what is very important because it gives a prelude to what can be found in the resume and how it could prove advantages to the potential employer to hire you and how the skill set could enhance their business.
Cover letters need not be just a hard copy but can also be as an email. Writing an email cover letter I more or less the same as writing it in the form of hardcopy with very slight variations. The main difference is with the subject line to be filled. It should never be empty or meaningless or even obvious. It should be something that grabs the attention of the recruiter while he or she browses through a list of their emails. Make sure that the contents appear in a single screen shot and they can take it in at a glance. Lot of emphasises on the keyword here because when the letters are stored in the database they are searched based on keywords. So ensure that the keywords you use are the right ones.
Make sure that the format you use to write is a very common one so that there is no problem for the recruiters to read it. Another slight difference between an email and a hardcopy is that the name of the sender and contact information appears on the bottom in an email whereas it is on the top in a hardcopy. Also there is no signature in the email whereas never forget to sign a hard copy.
There are other instances where you would choose to send a cover letter other than for a job opportunity. It could be for a book or an article you have written. A cover letter is written here when an article or a book is requested. It is needed when you have to provide information regarding the subject, when you are introducing yourself and what you have written. In short your cover letter that goes off to the editor says about what to expect in the attachment and what to do with it. Also if you are sending material for the first time and introduction of yourself is very important.
Cover letters can also be used to give introduction for marketing products. If you are introducing a product to someone and sending a details specification of it then a cover letter works wonders here by giving the person an idea of what the product could be and what it does. A cover letter also works well in the case of loan applications because you send it along with the entire document required as to why you need it and your plans for it.
Cover letters are also very important while sending legal documents such as contracts and proposals between two interested parties. Lot of colleges and universities expect a cover letter along with the applications giving the administration an introduction about their future student, lot of official workers use cover letter as a way to pass on the information as to the list of documents being sent. It could work as a checklist. There are so many more places a cover letter could prove useful and make your life simpler.
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Tips to the Best Written Cover Letter
A Cover letter is usually sent to introduce the documents attached to the mail or email. It could be a resume, legal documents, articles or a book or for loan applications. In general cover letters are sent whenever you need to grab the attention of a reader. There are certain basic steps you follow while writing a cover letter for a job application that could make yours the best one ever written. The basic tip is to keep the language as simple and plain as possible. Do not add on any jargons or technical words to try and impress the person you are sending it to. This is because most of the time cover letters are written for job application and that is the first impression you give to your future employers. Be careful about how you word them. You are selling your knowledge and capability here so make sure you get the right message across. It could make or break you. There is something known as plain English language, embrace it. Here are a few tips that you can use while writing a cover letter.
- Use active language to write the cover letter. That is you need to put yourself first in the sentence and then about what you have done. This type of sentence formation is attractive to read and showcases you and what you have done for whom or what.
- Always try and keep your sentences as short as possible. That is long and winding sentences are too descriptive and boring to read as letters. They work better in books but not in letters. Get the message across with as little words as possible. This makes the words you use stronger. Also cover letters are usually read in glance to get the gist of the person so make it as factual and short as possible.
- The details can be handled in the resume give the basic facts here that’s all. Always highlight what they need or highlight all the facts that meet their requirements.
- When you are writing a cover letter for a job that is in a different city or even country you need to give them valid reasons as to why you are willing to go through all the hassles of relocating yourself. Is you are willing to move for the job alone then make sure that you pass on the message that you are open to a change and ready to set up a date convenient for both for an interview.
Most of the time you send in the resume as an answer to an advertisement so here it goes to recruiters and not directly to the future employers so here you need to know that a recruiter goes through hundreds of resumes. Your cover letter should be written in such a way that is captures the attention of the person going through it. This is the biggest tip you are going to get. Capturing and keeping the attention is the best thing you can do. It gives you a shot at an interview. You need to keep the cover letter very short and it would be so much better if they can get all the information at a glance. So what instead of writing the letter in complete sentences send all your facts in bulletin points and highlight the facts such as names, salary, qualification etc so that it meets their eyes faster. Make sure you put in all the relevant facts such as
- Your name
- Address
- Contact information
- Availability for the interviews
- Your current salary
- The waiting period before you join or even if you can join immediately.
These are facts that are in the must to be given category even if they have not asked for it. Also sometimes recruiters use search databases so ensure that your cover letter and your resume has the key features that a recruiter searches for. It might just happens so that if you have not written your cover letter with the relevant facts you might be over looked even if you are the best person for the job.
There is certain basic information a cover letter should have.
- Always explain why you are sending the resume. Make sure that you positively confirm the reason as to whether it is for a summer job, internship, permanent job or part time. Do not leave the people guessing for the reasons. Mention this immediately.
- Let them know how you came across the information about the availability of the job. Whether it was from advertisement or word of mouth or a job portal or from a particular website.
- Target the letter to a person so that you know that it would be read for sure. Also plan it in such a way that it captures that particular person’s interest.
- Call attention to yourself and your skill set. You are selling your capabilities here so skill set has got to emphasised and what you can do for the company is a point to be highlighted.
- The cover letter should completely reflect who you are as a person too. It should let the person reading it know about your attitude your interests, your passion and your enthusiasm.
The normal format of a cover letter has a header which contains the senders name and information the receivers name and information, the date and a salutation. The next is the introduction that is written designed to grab the reader’s attention to what it is the letter is regards to. The actual body of the cover letter is what is very important because it gives a prelude to what can be found in the resume and how it could prove advantages to the potential employer to hire you and how the skill set could enhance their business. Always remember keywords written in the cover letter bring the resume to the reader’s attention. Here are some examples of how a cover letter should be written.
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You and Your Cover Letter
It’s been a few years since the recession, but as is evident, the recovery is slow. Jobs are not only hard to find, but even harder to bag! All of you competing for the same job have almost the same qualifications, usually more than the job even requires. Recruitment agents are constantly goaded with a host of identical resumes from which to sieve their golden employees. How can you make yours stand out from the rest? How can you make it shine? The answer to this conundrum is actually quite simple- No more than a page long. The quality and finesse of a well crafted cover letter is enough for any resume to stand out and sweep your recruiters off their feet.
But, what exactly is a cover letter? A cover letter is a letter of introduction that is generally attached as a supporting document to a resume or curriculum vitae and the likes. A cover letter goes by many names such as covering letter, motivational letter, letter of motivation or motivation letter so do not be baffled if the names are interchanged because they all demand the same document. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to mention things that may not have been appropriate to mention in the resume section. For instance, you may be applying for a job as a park ranger and may not have been able to mention the numerous camping trips, hikes and nature trails you went on as you were raised, but it is certainly relevant to the job and has benefitted you by fostering a childhood interest into a potential career so that may be useful to state in your cover letter and may be your defining entry into the company and job.
A cover letter also allows you to elaborate on experiences that may have received a mere passing mention in the resume in order to perhaps explain their relevance to you and the job being applied for or the curriculum being advertised. For instance a curriculum vita may note the focus of their administered assessments on analytical skills or critical thinking skills. Since it is an important aspect of the curriculum and may be one that sets it apart or categories it with certain similar curricula, just a glance in its direction, although it may not be detrimental, may be a misrepresentation of how essential it is to a program or how important it is for a student to develop the skills. Thus, the cover letter provides you a space where you can elaborate on such things that may seem minor in the main document but are actually very dominant in the curriculum or your job skills, if employment is the case in point.
Another reason why having a concise and well chalked out cover letter could land you that job or that client is the display of your writing skills. In the current job market, writing skills are seen to be a very essential measure of versatility. In the end, the best employee for the job is the one that will be most useful in both his own position in the company and any other position he may need to fill in for at any point in time. A dynamic employee or curriculum is what companies or clients seek and that is the very quality of your cover letter that can land you the best job or the best students. An strong reflection of your writing skills is your approach to the cover letter and what your cover letter says between the lines so the tense, form of speech and flow are components that must receive a great deal of attention to detail.
It may be useful to have an unbiased, third-party, proof reader take a quick look at your cover letter before you send it in to make sure that you have covered these essentials. Some websites provide this service but it is best if you can have a professor, a friend or an acquaintance in the field proof read it so that it receives the adequate advice for zero cost and with a very small waiting period and low chances of being plagiarized. A quick proof read is important just before you print a final draft as well. Drawing up a cover letter is a painstaking, time consuming process but with tenfold benefits. No matter how many times you need to re-write it, if you keep in mind the significance and use of a cover letter, you will remain motivated.
Job-seeking individuals usually choose to send a cover letter along with their resume or employment application as a method of introducing themselves to the potential employer on their own terms and explaining their suitability as an employee in the position they are applying for. What employers look for in the cover letter is organization, a well thought approach and an expression of the uniqueness of the candidate. It is these criteria that employers generally use to screen out applicants who may seem not sufficiently interested in the position or may lack the essential, basic skills required for the job, in which writing may often be included. All this takes place in under one minute because employers often receive tons of mail and multitudes of applicants so it is very important to stand out as your best self!
Cover letters are very handy devices to use. Many prospective job-seekers use cover letters as a device to market themselves in the work force. Many business documents such a loan applications, contract drafts, proposals and executed documents may also benefit from adding a cover letter to their file.
Whether it is used for the purpose of catching the reader’s interest, persuasion or as an inventory of the documents with a discussion of future plans with regard to the documents, a cover letter has become a precedent against which people and documents are measured. Many schools and universities have also joined the band wagon and demand cover letters with student applications in order to weed out the less fit of the applicant crop. A cover letter may be moulded into one amongst an array of styles but what is certain is that it must be an expression of the best version of you, so be unafraid to be creative and original!
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Techniques to Write a Cover Letter
There are various techniques to write a cover letter that gets the job done. Most of the time the cover letter follows a standard format that would do for any job application in general. That is every person looking for a job or looking to change their job prepares a cover letter along with the resume. So they follow a set format that gives all the basic and essential details that any employer or a recruiter would need to process the resume. Always a person tends to be careful while writing the resume and forgets or neglects to give equal importance to the cover letter. Remember cover letter is what gives the first impression and provides a form of introduction for you. So be smart while writing the cove letter.
Rather than writing the standardised form of the letter try something new. It is called as the two column format. This type of cover letter really works for you when you are sending the resume for a particular job and where the information to be given is specific to it. This is an amazing way of getting the attention to your resume. The first and the last paragraph are very similar to the normal format where you give generic information about you and what post you are applying for. The last paragraph also follows the similar pattern. However in this type of cover letter the middle of the letter is very important because once you capture the attention of the reader in the first paragraph you need to keep it to get your message through. The body of the letter is split into two columns. One side that would have to be the left-hand side talks about what are the requirements that is wanted by the employer in the employee and the right-hand side is all about how you have it or qualify for it. It says whether your skill set matches their requirements. This type of letter is very important because even if you fall short of a couple of requirements you can impress them with what you do have. It gives you a chance to be called for an interview where you can have your say and convince the interviewers that even if you do not have that particular knowledge you have the skill to learn it. That is what really matters. This type of cover letter is excellent when you are looking for a career change. Here you might not have the experience but have all the skill and knowledge that might work in your favour. Because although experience is very essential can be gained by doing a good job.
Also remember cover letter is the first impression you give your employers, so when you are describing your skill set ensure you use similar words used in the advertisement because that will let them know that you have looked into it and understood what they want. The keyword and the phrases are very important. So instead of writing a generic cover letter customise it for every application you send.
We all have certain ambitions and that ambition might be to work for somebody in particular or gain experience from a particular person or company. In that case you are the one who is doing the initial contact. That is even though there has been no advertisement or call for you send your resume to a company asking for a chance. At this point if you are applying to a company or a business then you need to know the manager to whom you have to send the resume to. Also does a complete research on the business before you send it and ensure that the reader gets that message. They should never think that you are sending out such letters to everybody. The letters are only read when they are addressed to somebody in the company otherwise there is a very good chance that it might go unnoticed. So do it right. The person should atleast be curious enough or impressed enough with both your resume and cover letter to give you a call. Most of the time what would happen is there might not be any openings for a person with your skill set. However this should not discourage you on the contrary know that the information is there and at a later on time if they have such a need they will check their database where your information would be and contact you. The cover letter should be written in such a way that you convey your interest in working for them and would not be happy working anywhere else. This is very important. In such cases where there are no keywords to write or a particular skill set to specify on make sure you emphasise on your strong point and how it would work in their favour to hire you.
This type of a cover letter can also be used for getting a job through the networking process. That is it happens through friends and acquaintances. You give your cover letter and resume to them so that they can pass it out to whomsoever they know. This makes sure that your resume is out there and gives you a chance. It might be a case of chance but a very good one to get the type of job you are looking for. It is also possible that the resume and the cover letter you have sent to the company might fall into the right hands and give you that chance you seek to prove yourself. So the wordings in the cover letter have to be very simple and give you that complete introduction that will make the employers seek you. Do not make it full of jargons or technical words that some might not get what you want to convey. Keep the language clean and simple. Resume is what will get you that job but the cover letter and the wordings on it is what will get the chance you want.
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Turn a Cover Letter into a Job
A cover letter has got to be the most simplest and at the same time the most complicated letter. It is very simple because it has got to be easily understandable. A cover letter tends to be complicated in a way because it has got to describe in a complete way but in a simple form. That is why is both simple and complicated. There is a very simple way of writing it. The basic tip is to keep the language as simple and plain as possible. Do not add on any jargons or technical words to try and impress the person you are sending it to. This is because most of the time cover letters are written for job application and that is the first impression you give to your future employers. Also the person reading it might not understand your jargons. So to avoid any such misunderstanding it is always safe to not to use jargon or even abbreviations. Make sure that the cover letter is something that could be understood by any person without the necessity of a dictionary.
Another point to be noted while writing a cover letter for a job is that you are selling yourself. That is you are selling your knowledge and capability. It is as same as selling a product that is when you sell something you put out all the positive point about the product, what it can do for the buyer and the advantages of owning it. A person is not going to buy something unless it gives him or her added advantage or makes their life easier. Just the same way you will have to sell your capabilities and your knowledge to the employer. Don’t make the cover letter description of just yourself. It should be a letter about what you are. That is what really matters. Remember it is a prelude to you.
As I have mentioned above you need to keep the language in the letter as simple as possible avoiding all the jargons, technical words or abbreviations. There is something known as plain English language, embrace it. Here are a few tips that you can use while writing a cover letter.
- Use active language to write the cover letter. That is you need to put yourself first in the sentence and then about what you have done. This type of sentence formation is attractive to read and showcases you and what you have done for whom or what.
- Always try and keep your sentences as short as possible. That is long and winding sentences are too descriptive and boring to read as letters. They work better in books but not in letters. Get the message across with as little words as possible. This makes the words you use stronger. Also cover letters are usually read in glance to get the gist of the person so make it as factual and short as possible.
- The details can be handled in the resume give the basic facts here that’s all. Always highlight what they need or highlight all the facts that meet their requirements.
Most of the time companies or the employers prefer hiring people locally because relocating can be a hassle lot of people do not want or need. So when you are writing a cover letter for a job that is in a different city or even country you need to give them valid reasons as to why you are willing to go through all the hassles of relocating yourself. Or if you do not have a particular reason to move then you need to let them know that you are open for relocating yourself for the sake of the job. Another point to be added that is very important for the job is the one about the interviews. How you are ready to handle them even when you are not a local. You can suggest a date and time when you will be in their city or ask them to let you know when to come in for an interview when it is convenient for both of you. Or a very good thing to do would be to suggest an initial phone interview and if that goes well then you can take it further for a face-to-face. This is a very good option to keep in mind.
There is one another thing to know about and to be kept in mind while writing a cover letter. Usually when see an advertisement for a job and apply for it you are sending the resume not to the company directly. You are probably sending it to some recruiters. And these recruiters would in essential have to go through hundreds of resumes. So they hardly go through the cover letter. So especially at these points you need to keep the cover letter very short and it would be so much better if they can get all the information at a glance. So what instead of writing the letter in complete sentences send all your facts in bulletin points and highlight the facts such as names, salary, qualification etc so that it meets their eyes faster. Make sure you put in all the relevant facts such as
- Your name
- Address
- Contact information
- Availability for the interviews
- Your current salary
- The waiting period before you join or even if you can join immediately
These are facts that are in the must to be given category even if they have not asked for it. Also sometimes recruiters use search databases so ensure that your cover letter and your resume has the key features that a recruiter searches for. It might just happens so that if you have not written your cover letter with the relevant facts you might be over looked even if you are the best person for the job. So to avoid something like that from happening, ensure that you have that perfectly written cover letter.
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Find The Cover Letter That Fits Best
A cover letter is a letter of introduction that is generally attached as a supporting document to a resume or curriculum vitae and the likes. A cover letter goes by many names such as covering letter, motivational letter, letter of motivation or motivation letter so do not be baffled if the names are interchanged because they all demand the same document. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to mention things that may not have been appropriate to mention in the resume section. It is a chance to express to your employer who you are and what you want.
A cover letter also allows you to elaborate on experiences that may have received a mere passing mention in the resume in order to perhaps explain their relevance to you and the job being applied for or the curriculum being advertised. For instance a curriculum vita may note the focus of the assessments on analytical skills or critical thinking skills. In the job market, on the other hand, the cover letter might contain additional experience in a certain relevant skill or field such as a childhood hobby or personal travels that may not have been expressed in the resume itself. All in all, it is evident that a cover letter must be crafted to the specific needs of an individual application.
The purpose of attaching a cover letter to a resume or an application is to make the applicant stand out from the rest. It is a great opportunity for an applicant to give them an edge and make their resume memorable at least, if not absolutely golden! The secret to a perfect cover letter is its style and presentation.
There are three basic kinds of cover letters. The first kind is the application letter or invited letter which is written in response to a particular job opening. The foundation of this sort of letter must be built on the premise that the applicant knows exactly what they are applying for. The letter must be directly focussed on the skills and information that are relevant to the job and that the applicant feels might benefit the successful acceptance of the application.
How you found out about the job may be something you might want to share in the cover letter as this allows the company to determine where their best advertisement takes place, so technically you have already proved yourself useful to the company!
As an aside, it is important for the applicant to be aware of the employment policies regarding family members, friends and such. If your family member informed you of the opening or acted as a reference, some companies may not appreciate the bias and your cover letter may be more detrimental to your bagging the job than helpful. If the friend that referred you isn’t well liked by his colleagues, it may reflect on their impression of you.
The second kind of cover letter is the prospecting letter, also known as the uninvited cover letter which is written with the purpose of inquiring about the availability of a job position. This should state in its introduction, the applicant’s interest in the position, how they came to learn of the company and how they can be of use to the company. A prospecting letter is best used by those whose credentials are sharp and impressive, otherwise the resume will just sound flat and since there are no stated job openings, the application package will not be considered. It is important for the applicant to sound like they have something unique to offer the company. In order to pull this off effectively, the applicant must do their research thoroughly. Know what the company does and find out as much as you can about it. Go through its official website for the deepest research, because that is what the company wants you to know about it but also remember to support you information with other sources on the company. Your cover letter must express that your skills are supplemented by the company’s need for them and thus express, in the body of the cover letter, why you are suitable for a job in the company and how your skills cater to the company’s needs.
The third, and perhaps the most interesting, kind of cover letter is the networking letter which requests information about and assistance with the applicant’s job search. While this cover letter is more non-descript than the others, the kinds of topics to cover about oneself would be much the same as those in an uninvited cover letter. It is important to keep in mind the tone reflected in the cover letter because the intention is to ask for information and hopefully have them employ you if not just refer you to sources. A hopeful, humble and confident tone should get you the information you need. Also remember to be absolutely professional, no matter how badly you need the job. Confidence is the key to a successful job application.
Every cover letter has to cover a few essentials before it can get creative autonomy. State your interest in the position in the opening paragraph because this is where your resume can really shine. Most employment recruiters are hassled with thousands of job applications which they often need to read on the go, on their cell phones, so the first paragraph is what should really catch their interest and be compelling enough that they are eager to read the rest of your cover letter and proceed to reading your resume.
By the time your interest in the job has impressed them, you have your foot in the door. Now, all that is left is for your entire cover letter and resume package to reflect a standard in quality. Don’t make your introduction golden and then neglect doing the same for the rest. The point is to keep the recruiter interested in you. If you are low on experience, the recruiter’s interest and the compelling nature of your cover letter is what may land you the job, so if your experience does not extend your basic qualifications for the job, do not be disheartened. Personality can often make up for lack of skill displayed in the cover letter, so a good spirited personality is what you would need to develop if you aren’t already proficient in one!
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How to Write a Cover Letter
A cover letter is a letter of introduction that is generally attached as a supporting document to a resume or curriculum vitae and the likes. A cover letter goes by many names such as covering letter, motivational letter, letter of motivation or motivation letter so do not be baffled if the names are interchanged because they all demand the same document. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to mention things that may not have been appropriate to mention in the resume section. For instance, you may be applying for a job as a park ranger and may not have been able to mention the numerous camping trips, hikes and nature trails you went on as you were raised, but it is certainly relevant to the job and has benefitted you by fostering a childhood interest into a potential career so that may be useful to state in your cover letter and may be your defining entry into the company and job.
The goal here, in writing a cover letter is to express who you are and what you want. It is not merely a decorative element to your resume but serves a solid purpose to you and your employer. While a cover letter is, for the applicant, a mode of communicating with the employer before an official meeting to introduce themselves and their desires clearly, for the employer, the purpose of a cover letter is quite different. For the employer, the cover letter acts as a display of the applicant’s writing skills, professionalism, motivation or interest in the job as well as the applicant’s research skills with regard to their interests and the company.
Aside from these goals, a cover letter also allows you to elaborate on experiences that may have received a mere passing mention in the resume in order to perhaps explain their relevance to you and the job being applied for or the curriculum being advertised. For instance a curriculum vita may note the focus of their administered assessments on analytical skills or critical thinking skills. Since it is an important aspect of the curriculum and may be one that sets it apart or categorizes it with certain similar curricula, it may good promotion to expand on it a little. This can be achieved in the cover letter.
Keeping in mind the uses and aims of writing a cover letter, you can begin crafting your own to suit your needs. One essential, though seemingly minor, detail is the format of the letter. The letter must be drawn up strictly on standard paper, and should be no more than a page long. The format must be formal as the signature block would go on top of the page, assuming that it is meant to be in hard copy form, although e-mails are just as acceptable if one is blessed with an array of options by the company, in which case the signature block would go at the bottom of the email. The font must be a standard size eleven or twelve, with a decent, professional, clear font style.
Now that we have the framework of your cover letter covered, we can move on to its contents. Even cover letters must be organized into an introduction, body and conclusion format. The introduction is the most crucial step. The introduction should first explain why you are sending your resume and how you came to learn about the company or job opening. At the same time, this part of your cover letter must express your interest in the job position or company in very specific terms. The cover letter also acts as a tool to compel the employer into inquiring about you further in your resume section. Writing skills put to good use are what draw a candidate into further consideration as one special from the rest of the candidates.
The body is where you call attention to elements of your qualifications, academic and experiential background. This is where you have the opportunity to note experiences in leadership, innovation and related fields in a concise manner. It is also important to note examples. Here, it is not necessary to note everything in your resume, just the highlights would be quite sufficient. Remember that the subject of the infinite you can turn rather drab for the employer reading your cover letter, so the interesting prose must continue through the body, having begun at the introduction all the way till the end of the cover letter! Stay interested and stay interesting!
The body, which is your longest segment, must also describe why you think you are suited for the job, how your skills, qualifications and experiences cater to the advertised job and how your contributions will have positive effects on the company’s repertoire. Flamboyance and decorative speech may seem like an appropriate manner of speech here, but it is not. Honesty, precision and practicality are all that is need in the tone and manner of expression. Shoe your skills and show your research, because the only thing an employer likes more than hearing about your achievements is hearing about their own!
The final, but equally crucial component is the conclusion. The conclusion must state your next step with regard to the application. Here is where you may be able to make a good impression on your employer by expressing your eagerness for the job. Eagerness may be expressed via requesting to meet with the employer, which will normally be in a formal interview or by phone. Be sure to include your contact details to enable ease of communication in case they would be interested in responding to your application. More than one number would be very useful, along with your home address, e-mail address and fax number if you have one.
Sign off with a pleasant and respectful tone. If your cover letter is shorter than three-fourths of a page, you may consider adding the names, credentials and contacts of your references but it is a good idea to note them after your resume rather than before, or even replacing them with ‘references available upon request’ depending on what might suit the company best.
A cover letter is all about presentation, so remember that you want to be yourself but the best version. A confident, qualified, useful and versatile individual is always in demand on the job market so it wouldn’t hurt to unleash the full force of your charm with skills in tow!
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Cover Letter for the Tech Savvy
Today, I’ve decided to e-mail my friend about the pool party and then I’ll just hit ‘send’ on my cover letter and resume e-mail and have that sent over to the company. I really hope I get the job. Who has not had this particular thought thread? The internet age has undoubtedly pervaded every aspect of daily life and the job market has certainly not been excluded from this phenomena. In fact, today, the market is mostly just a concept save for retail, meat and groceries, which are a few of the only physical remnants of the actual ‘marketplace’ remaining in our civilization. Blackberries are technically the new marketplace because most business deals and transactions are transmitted through it with very little personal interaction compared to the yesteryears. The field of human resources refuses to lag behind despite the obvious utility of personal interviews and it too has shifted base to the cyber world, a decision to which it is certainly entitled. Your cover letter and resume job application needs no mail man; the internet is sufficient and certainly efficient!
A cover letter is a letter of introduction that is generally attached as a supporting document to a resume or curriculum vitae and the likes. A cover letter goes by many names such as covering letter, motivational letter, letter of motivation or motivation letter so do not be baffled if the names are interchanged because they all demand the same document. Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to mention things that may not have been appropriate to mention in the resume section. It is a chance to express to your employer who you are and what you want. It allows the applicant to elaborate on experiences that may only have been mentioned once in the resume, when they are actually major skill points. The numero uno rule to a perfect resume is to have it proofread and what is a better proofread than Microsoft Word’s spell check, a friend’s glaze-over combined with the mailing efficiency of your e-mail service? That would be a friend’s spell check, an expert’s glaze-over and advice combined with the efficiency of your e-mail service. It is very essential to draft out your resume and cover letter, print it out and then have it proofread again so that you can see what it looks like in hardcopy form, the way in which it will most likely be stored in your company profile.
An e-mail delivered application package must be formatted in a style that is adapted to its appearance in the e-mail frame. In an e-mail, make sure to include an appropriate, coherent subject line. Never use short forms or abbreviations because the employer does not know you and will not be able to decipher the subject. Besides, it is simply unprofessional to use anything other than the standard business protocol. You want to make a good first impression and a good part of how to achieve this comes from knowing how to spell!
One of the most common sources of difficulty when it comes to e-mail cover letters is the dilemma of where to place the address and contact details. While e-mail protocol expects the address and contact details to follow the main content of the cover letter, after the sign off, it is not incorrect to place the address and contact details before the cover letter to the right, after the date, as you would in a hard-copy snail mail cover letter. It is a personal choice. While the former method would be appropriate to the system of delivery, the latter method would be useful if the cover letter and resume application package were being sent in as an attachment. If the exact method of delivery is unstated, you may have your pick, but sending in the application package as an attachment is certainly neater and more organized. The usual system is to write the cover letter as the content of the e-mail and have the resume as an attachment to it.
While in an e-mail it is not quintessential to include the office address of the employer, there’s no harm including it, just so long as the address is placed after the sign off. This is because writing the employer’s address to the left side of the page after the date and then also including your address to the right would make a space that is as small as an e-mail frame look overcrowded and this may be detrimental to the legibility of your cover letter. Besides, if you invoke the employer’s ire so soon in the application process, it may colour their impression of your entire cover letter and resume package, no matter how qualified you are for the job.
Be sure to use a standard format and font size of ten to twelve points in a sans serif font style. Just because it is an e-mail, does not make it any less of a formal affair than sending in an application package in print.
While the e-mail mode of delivering a cover letter and resume application package does seem like an affair with more exceptions than rules, it is certainly the most convenient. The obvious benefits for the sender are the ease and reliability of typing it out anywhere, at any time and having it delivered with the click of a button. At the same time caution is advised in giving oneself too little time to craft a solid cover letter for the sole reason that the prospect of an e-mail might make a person lazier to examine the details closely. A recommended step is to get a second opinion on your cover letter, preferably by somebody with some experience in the field, so that any missteps may be clarified in good time, before the application package needs to be sent.
There are, however, benefits to the employer as well. Most employers today examine job applications in the back seat of their cars on their handy blackberries, with very little patience for large piles of paper applications. An e-mail cover letter and resume application may actually be preferred for its ease of access. It may be wise to include in your research process a call to the employer or his receptionist to determine what suits them best. The cover letter is your opportunity to mould yourself to the employer’s cast and bag your job before even meeting with the employer. Make your first impression your best and live up to the standards you set for yourself in your cover letter!
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