Your resume should be accompanied by a cover letter. The goal of this letter is to show your interest in the position and the business or organization while also demonstrating how your abilities, training, and experience meet the demands of the employer. Never submit a CV to an employer without a professional, cover letter tailored to the vacancy.
Your cover letter’s layout and content are both very crucial. A potential employer may pay attention to a cover letter that is well-written, structured and customized. Instead of merely restating what is on your resume, a cover letter should go into further detail and outline why you are the ideal candidate for the position.
Formatting
- The same heading from your resume and recommendations should appear at the top of your cover letter.
- Use Times New Roman in 11–12 points.
- The entire document is left justified.
- Use the date, employer name and title, company information, corporate address, and a formal welcome in accordance with the normal business format.
- Be sure to use the correct spacing!
- One page is all that your cover letter should be.
- When printed, margins smaller than 0.5′′ may cause portions of your cover letter to be omitted.
Writing Cover Letters: Some Guidelines
Even if you are sending an employer your resume by email, include a cover letter.
The letter should always be addressed to a specific person. If you can’t locate one online, call HR and ask for the name of someone on the hiring committee. Use “Dear Hiring Manager,” “Dear Committee Chair,” or “Dear Selection Committee,” etc. if you can’t find a specific name. Never use the salutation “To Whom it May Concern” as it sounds impersonal.
It is preferable to write the cover letter while having the job posting in front of you so that you may customize it to the demands of the organization as stated in the posting.
Before composing the letter, do some research on the company. Inform them of your desire to work for them.
Promote yourself by being upbeat and self-assured, but watch out for sounding haughty.
Give instances of your abilities and experiences that make you a good fit for the position.
Say “I believe I am” or “I know I am” instead of saying, “I think I am qualified for this post…”
What Should Be on a Cover Letter
Your cover letter should succinctly and succinctly showcase the experiences that are most valuable to the employer. To construct your cover letter, adhere to the suggested paragraph format.
Initial Paragraph
Simply state what position you are applying for and how you found out about the position in the first paragraph. In order to grab the reader’s attention, be sure to mention it in your first paragraph whether you know somebody at the firm or if someone recommended you. You could also explain why you are applying for the job or what drew you to the organization (to show that you have researched the company.)
Second Paragraph
You basically want to explain to the company why they should hire you, which is a little trickier. Instead of concentrating on what the company can do for you, think about what you can do for it. Describe your achievements, prior work history, and career-specific skills. (This section can be written in one or two paragraphs.) Be discerning. You don’t need to reiterate anything that is already on your CV. Examining the requirements mentioned in the position announcement and making sure you address each requirement is a good idea.
Indicate at least three accomplishments that closely relate to what the employer is looking for when you are building your case for an interview. Instead of concentrating on what the company can do for you, think about what you can do for it.
Final Paragraph
The final paragraph of the letter accomplishes four tasks. 1) Requests a meeting or interview at the company’s convenience; 2) Provides a date for contacting the employer in the future; 3) Requests a call or email from the employer if there are any queries, and 4) Thank the employer for their time and thoughtfulness.
You may say that you’ll be in the region for a certain amount of time and will get in touch with the employer once you’re in the city. By specifying a certain week in which you will get in touch with the employers as a follow-up, you may be assertive. As in, “I will get in touch with you the week of April 12 to arrange an interview.” Before you follow up, give the employer adequate time (one to two weeks) to study the resume. You should always hand-sign your cover letter.
Conclusion
Knowing how to write a cover letter can dramatically increase your chances of being hired. Get in touch with CareerBum today!