How to Write a Cover Letter
For those seeking job opportunities, just a resume isn’t enough. While a resume does give a potential employer an idea of what your past achievements and work history have been, many employers also prefer to get a sense of who you are.
According to most employment experts, a cover letter is a tool to gain the attention of an employer, and convince them that you are ultimately the best candidate for the position. Just like a resume, a cover letter’s goal is to help you get in the door and take on the interview for the position. A well written, effective cover letter can help you gain access to the employer where you ultimately have a chance of being hired.
Writing a cover letter does require lots of thinking, but can usually be accomplished in a few hours time. There are some general guidelines, but for the most part it is up to you to write something compelling that will make you stand out in a crowd of other well-qualified applicants.
Following is a general format for cover letters:
The Heading
The top of the cover letter should consist of a normal business heading. It should be aligned to the left and include your address, followed by a space and then the date. Beneath the date should be the name of the employer that you are writing to. For instance, if on the job advertisement, the contact information includes the HR representative’s name of Julie Marsh, you should write directly to Julie Marsh and include her title. Beneath her title add the company’s legal name and address. If there is no contact name associated with the job advertisement, one strategy is to call up the company and ask whose attention the resume should be sent to or use a generic term such as Attention: Director of Human Resources.
The Letter
Start off your letter with a greeting, a generic Dear Julie Marsh will work fine. There are usually 3 separate paragraphs in a cover letter. The first paragraph is sometimes defined as the “why” paragraph. This paragraph gives the employer the reason “why” you have written this letter to them. The second paragraph is sometimes called the “qualifications” paragraph. The qualifications paragraph is the area of the letter where you express to the employer your achievements and qualifications. Finally the last paragraph is the “wrap up” paragraph; obviously this is where you close the letter.
The “Why” Paragraph
The why paragraph is extremely important because it states your purpose up front and alerts the employer as to which position you are requesting consideration for. Make sure to clearly spell out your intentions. Do not generalize the position you are seeking. For instance, if the exact job title you are applying for is marketing supervisor, do not write that you are seeking a job in the marketing field.
It should be noted that you generally should not put down how you learned of the position unless it was a specific person or mutual friend of you and the recruiter. Most recruiters don’t need to know where you saw the job advertisement.
In the first paragraph you can show your interest in the company or specific position. However, if you mention the company, make sure you have done your research; you obviously want to avoid an embarrassing error. For the first paragraph, you would want to make sure that the wording flows, that you state your objective and try to spark some kind of interest with the employer so that you will hopefully garner some attention and that your resume will be looked at as well.
The Qualifications Paragraph
The qualifications paragraph is the meat and potatoes of the cover letter; this is where you have to sell your self. You would want to show the employer that you are not only qualified for the position, but also have plenty of accomplishments to back up your qualifications. Employers usually aren’t focused on the past; they are very interested in what you can do for them in the future. The qualifications paragraph is a great place to be as specific as possible and show off your specific qualities.
Most job seekers start off the qualifications paragraph with a sentence that focuses on their accomplishments, however make sure you back up your statements with facts. Don’t make huge statements and leave them floating out there, make sure that everything stated is neatly packaged and presented to the employer.
The qualifications paragraph is usually the most intensive paragraph in the cover letter and can be as long as two paragraphs. However, your cover letter should still only be at most one page in length.
The Final Paragraph
The final paragraph is exactly that, it ties up everything above, thanks the employer for his or her time and states some kind of follow up. For instance, the final paragraph should mention that you have enclosed your resume, that you thank the employer for his time, that you would like to be considered for an interview and will follow up with the employer in a few days or couple of week’s time. While this is the time to thank the employer, a sincere thank you is all that is required; you don’t have to make the thank you long and drawn out or extra sweet.
Finally, we have the salutation, which for most job seekers is “Sincerely”, your signature and the word ‘enclosure’ to denote that a resume has been included with the letter.
General tips for Cover Letter Writing
Keep your cover letter one page in length; if the letter is two pages, it is a good idea to staple it together so that one page doesn’t get misplaced.
Print out both the cover letter and the resume on the same type of paper. Many job seekers choose high quality resume paper. Though it gives a nice touch, it is not necessary.
Make sure there are no ink smudges or dirt on either your cover letter or resume.
For best results do some research on the company before writing your cover letter. The more you find out about the company, the better prepared you would be to write a cover letter.
Check your letter for spelling and grammatical errors. This tip can’t be stressed enough. It is also a good idea to get another person to read and check your cover letter before you send it out.
Try to stay away from lengthy, biographical cover letters. Make sure your letter expresses your purpose and qualifications. You should not get extremely personal or tell your life story in a cover letter.
Sign the cover letter with a blue or black ink pen.