Writing a cover letter can feel daunting especially if you really want that job and want to do everything right. With this guide and some research on your own, you’ll be writing your best cover letter yet.
When writing your letter, it’s important to remember WHY you’re writing the cover letter. Your goal with a cover letter is to highlight your skills and qualifications to make the hiring manager go through your resume or Curriculum Vitae more closely and of course to let you go through the next vetting process, the job interview.
The most important thing to remember is that a cover letter, also called the application letter, will most likely be the first impression that your potential employer will have of you. Ask yourself, “Does this letter make me look professional?” or “Have I tailored it what the job ad demands?” You should, because hiring managers can tell if you sent a generic cover letter that you probably sent to dozens of companies.
Tips on How to Write a Cover Letter
Let’s go through the parts of the cover letter one by one and discuss what needs to be on those sections.
A cover letter is a business letter, hence, it will have the parts that a traditional business letter has. These are:
The Heading – this is where you put your name, address, and contact details such as your email and mobile number. Remember, your goal is to get invited to a job interview so it’s important for the letter to have this information so they can schedule you for an interview
The Inside Address – this section contains the name and address of the person to whom you’re sending your application documents to. Go back to the job ad that you’re interested in and copy it to your letter. Don’t see an address on the job ad? Do some online research on the company and find their address. For larger companies, you’ll want to address it to the hiring manager. For small to medium-sized companies you can address it to the owner or managing director. Having this detail on your letter shows you’ve done your homework on your potential employer.
The Salutation – If you’ve done your research for the inside address section, then the salutation or greeting should be a simple “Dear Mr./Ms. (last name).”
The Body – Now we’re at the most important part of your cover letter, the body. A cover letter will be brief and your letter shouldn’t exceed one page. You’ll have to pick your words carefully.
The first paragraph should let your reader know that you are applying for a certain position. You can let them know where you found the job ad here. If you’re applying for any position, you could mention that you are interested if they have any open position that would fit your qualifications.
Use the second and third paragraph to talk about WHY you’re a good fit for the position. Go over the job ad once again, what are the skills and qualifications are they looking for? If you have what they’re looking for, talk about it here!
Don’t have quite what they’re looking for? That’s fine, you can go through your resume and pick your best assets to highlight. Do you have years of experience in the industry? Do you have special knowledge or skill for that job? Do you have any special training that could benefit them? This is your chance to impress them.
Remember, your goal is to get invited to an interview. For your last paragraph, let them know you’re looking forward to discussing the opportunity with them and let them know the best way to contact you for an interview. Invite them to review your resume more closely if you feel there’s more info on there that could strengthen your application.
The Complimentary Close – You can’t go wrong with using “Sincerely,” to close your letter and then followed by…
The Signature Line – Where you would put your name and sign it above.
More tips on Writing a Cover Letter
Proofread your letter. You don’t want any glaring error on your letter, it’s a short letter so going over it shouldn’t take too long.
Ask for a second opinion. It’s possible that you miss your own errors or mistakes on your letter so it’s nice to have a friend or trusted colleague review your letter.
Review the attachments. Your resume or CV should accompany your cover letter. Just like your cover letter, make sure to proofread that too. Resumes and CVs can run longer than two pages so if you feel that these are too long, you could trim it and focus on the more important parts of your career such as your last three employers or positions. If you have a lengthy list of certifications or trainings attended then pick the ones that are relevant to the position that you’re applying for.
Use the right filetype. If you’re sending your application via email, your cover letter would be in the body of the email. For the attachments however, consider saving your resume or CV as a .pdf file so that the formatting is preserved.
We hope this guide helps you write an effective cover letter. Need more inspiration or info on how to write a cover letter? We’ve got you covered! Head on over to our cover letter section and find cover letter samples to find one that you can use as a template.