Writing a smart cover letter can get your foot in the door, even if you have a weak resume. This guide will help you to write the best cover letter possible.
Remember, your letter is just a piece of the application process — you will also need to learn how to prepare a cv persuasively. Or you can use our HR-approved software to make a resume in minutes.
How to Prepare an Impressive Cover Letter
- Contact Information
To begin your cover letter, include both the employer’s and your contact information. See the example below:
While the example above demonstrates the information you need to include in the section, there are various ways to format it.
2. Introduction
Find out to whom you’re writing
Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes for a second. Would you like to be addressed as “Dear Sir or Madame?” or “To whom it may concern?”
“Dear Sir or Madame” makes you sound like you’re from the year 1865, and “to whom it may concern” is very irritating to hiring managers.
You can easily avoid this problem by doing your research. Look through the company’s website, LinkedIn, or even give the company a call to ask for the hiring manager’s name. Even if you get it wrong, it still looks like you’ve made an effort.
Introduce yourself
In the first paragraph of your cover letter, begin by telling the employer the position you are applying for and how you learned about the opportunity.
The rest of this paragraph should briefly present basic info about yourself, including: degree, area of study/expertise, and your career goals in terms of how they align with the goals of the company like i explained in my previous article.
3. Sell Yourself
The second paragraph should respond directly to the job description written by the hiring manager. Describe how your previous job experiences, skills, and abilities will allow you to meet the company’s needs. To make that easier, you can (and should) literally include words and phrases from the job description in your cover letter.
To go the extra mile, do some research about the company, and try to find out what they are doing — and why — given the current state of their industry. In a third paragraph, explain how you can fit into that schema, and help push the company forward and achieve any goals you suspect they may have.
4. Conclusion
The final paragraph is called the “call to action” portion of your cover letter. Inform them that you’d love to get interviewed. Tell them that you’ll be in contact with them in a week if you don’t hear back. Thank them for spending the time to read your letter. You may now see Guides on How to Prepare a Professional CV for any job
Source: Resume Genius
We appreciate comments, kindly drop one in the comment box
For updates, Like us on Facebook & Follow us on Twitter
[…] CV is accompanied by a cover letter, since it tells the position you are seeking. Read this post; how to prepare a Cover Letter for any Job to get more ideas on how to structure […]