You can be able to lose out on an opportunity that you are 100% qualified for just because of this thing called the cover letter. Yes, you should always send out a cover letter to get up with your job application. In this article, you will learn how to write the perfect cover letter.
So without further ado, let’s get started. This post will definitely help professionals become successful in their careers.
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter is one of the most overlooked aspect of job application process. I think it is important for us to dig a little bit deeper and understand what a cover letter is. A cover letter is the formal letter that accompanies your application.
Cover letter introduces you to the hiring manager and tells a unique story about you and what makes you the perfect candidate for the position while at the same time trying to leverage your qualifications and your skills to fit yourself into that position.
It is still not a guarantee that if just said that cover letter together with your application, you will get the job. But it needs to be the perfect cover letter and good cover letter matches the job description with your skills and qualification.
There is nothing bad by picking words from the job description and using them in your cover letter. Let now take a look at the format of the perfect cover letter.
Read Also: Learn How to Apply for Jobs Online through Email Online and get the Job Interview
How to Write Cover Letter
Cover Letter Format
If you were to deliver this letter physically, then you need to follow the format of a formal letter on top. You have your contact details followed by the contact details of the company. Then you go to the rest of the body.
Read Also: Learn How to Apply for Jobs Online through Email Online and get the Job Interview
Sending Cover Letter by Email with attached Resume
If you’re sending cover letter by email, it will be a little bit different. You don’t need to include the contact details, your contact details are the ones for the company because the email you are sending it from would be considered as your contact details, because that is how they would reply and get back to you. And the address that you’re sending it to would be considered as the contact details for that company.
A formal letter will have the real section. If you’re sending it by email, that really goes straight into the subject of the email, which reads something like application for the position of then you put in the position, you make it very easy for the person who is receiving this email to know that this is a job application for which position you need to be very specific.
We go the salutation bit of the email and you need to be very formal so you can go with something like Dear Mr. or Mrs. if you know the name of the hiring manager, that will be great. If you don’t know, you can go with something as general as the hiring manager, then go to the body of the cover letter.
Body of the Cover Letter
The body of the cover letter has three main objectives:
Introduce yourself to the hiring manager.
Show them that you are the exact candidate that they are looking for. What would you want them to do after reading their cover letter? Have them invite you for an interview, have that call to action. Generally, a cover letter should be about three to four paragraphs.
So first paragraph of your cover letter should include why are you writing, mention the position that you are applying for and where you are able to find that job listing.
Also, you can include the name of a mutual contact if you have in the second paragraph. This is the section of the cover letter that you use to describe what you have to offer the employer
Mention specifically how your qualification matches the job you are applying for. Remember your interpreting your CV not repeated either.
In the third paragraph conclude the cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position and include a call to action, include the complementary clause.
And if it is a physical letter, of course you need to sign it. If you’re sending by email, I would highly advise to get an electronic signature that includes your name, your phone number and your email address.
Also, take a look at this article on how to write a professional CV.
Thanks to Daniel Mutuku.
by Scholars Hub
Scholars Hub is a site created for Scholars, to guide you write professional CV, professional Resume, Biodata, Common Interview Questions and Answers. Tlcpost.com is NOT awarding scholarships, is NOT an employment site, NOT recruiter or agency or third party, and tlcpost.com is NOT directly or indirectly involve in any stage of recruitment or employment. We don’t charge anything for any information shared in this site.
The aim of setting up this interesting site is to help Scholars/Students, mostly from developing countries, by sharing and giving you some guidelines to write professional CV, Professional Resume for Job application, including some Common Interview Questions and Answers.