The process of finding a job can easily become a true headache if you have no idea exactly how to write a cover letter. This paper isn’t easy to write, many people lose their opportunity to get the job of their dream because of mistakes made in the cover letter.
Problem is that there are only one shot & chance during a hiring action. A regular cover letter cannot grab the attention of an HR manager. There are tons of tips on how to write a cover letter for a job on the Internet. It is necessary to be precise. The accurate formatting of the cover letter, its structured submission, & correct cliches help to make a catchy letter. All this is crucial - no one wants to read abracadabra.
How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job
Literally, this paper served a covering resume when people used papers instead of electronic email. Each great cover letter based on a determined formatting & sound templates( to start with the title, “Dear”, address or short introduction & descriptions of skills). Your main task is to show your best sides, your advantages & prove that you are the best candidate.
Find a website & read online specific examples of how to write a good cover letter which would suit your needs & skills.
How to Write a Header of the Cover Letter?
Every impeccably performed cover letter consists of the following info:
- The name of the applicant;
- Phone number;
- Email address;
- The date;
- The name of the HR & his professional title;
- The name & the address of the enterprise & position you are applying for.
To the cover letter you may adjoin:
- Your professional title;
- Home address;
- The link to your personal website;
- Social media accounts ( Twitter or LinkedIn);
- The city where you live.
Dwell upon the following 4 steps:
- It is preferable to use a trusted provider - Gmail or aol;
- You can use any words in your email, but it is desirable not to use much fantasy, just your name, & surname, your date of birth - [email protected]. an email - [email protected] is a deal-breaker;
- It is better not to use your work email because it is impolite towards your present & your potential employer;
- Check your personal data twice to ascertain there are no mistakes & misspelled words. All info on your cover page, resume & social media profiles is to coincide.
Are there any time-saving life hacks that can help to avoid mistakes? Then find a cover letter similar to the one you are to write on your own on the Internet.
Greeting Forms - Main Points to Consider
If you have questions to whom address a cover letter, the answer is - directly to the hiring manager. The greeting of the main page should be the most significant thing that he or she will see. The greatest strategy to accomplish that is to use the name:
Dear Monica or Dear Andrew.
At the moment when we see or hear our name we respond. So place emphasis on what follows. At the moment when the hiring manager sees his name in the greeting part of your cover letter, he will feel like he has found the perfect person & no matter what will be written in the next lines he will be looking for the exact information. Use the following cliches in your cover letter:
- Dear Sandra;
- Dear Miss Simone;
- Dear Ms. Ford;
- Dear Madame Smith;
- Dear Mr. Mckendrick.
- Dear Sir.
You may have a question whether you should insert the first or the last name of the hiring manager. It depends upon the culture of the enterprise. Applying for a place of employment with relaxed or creative atmosphere, use the first name. It is advised to use the last name sending your application to business firms.
Search on the website the manager’s name. Get a load of the following examples of the greetings:
- Dear Hiring Manager;
- Dear (ABC Company) Team;
- To Whom it May Concern.
Once your greeting is written, it is of utmost importance time for writing the central paragraphs of the first page.
How to Write the Body for a Cover Letter?
A cover letter consists of the three main parts - to capture the attention of the HR manager, to show the best sides of your offer & to prove you are the candidate who is meeting the requirements best.
Pay much attention & include to each part:
1. The Introduction
The first sentence is aimed at attracting the manager’s attention; it depends on the tone if he will continue reading it or put aside. You should create an introduction that would hold the interest of the hiring managers. Here are two different examples of the opening sentences:
- In response to your announcement for the Sales Manager position, I want to show my interest & take part in the process of recruitment. I have 6 years of experience as a sales manager in the industry, & I want to share it with the team. I used to work in a team that would be beneficial for this role.
You may remark that it does not provide any details or value. The main thing of these lines is “ I have a considerable experience & skills so I should fit in”. It is not what the reader wants to hear. Take a look at the correct example which leads to positive feedback:
As a lifelong follower of ABC’s marketing initiatives, I was excited to see your posting for the position of a Sales Manager. I am sociable & ready to help the ABC company with the challenges. I have boosted the client bases of XYZ companies by 15% since 2016.
Reading this line, the manager would say “ I have to be ill-advised not to hire him, I should call him & invite for an interview”. Read about more powerful strategies for the opening sentences of cover letter.
2. The Second Section
This part can be called “Your achievements” because you have to write about your achievements at the previous work. They are much more important than education & even work experience.
Your potential employer wants to know what it will be for you to pay your wages. It is very important to give all significant achievements at the previous places of work. Pay attention that it is correct to write with words that are so-called "markers" for employees of personnel services, considering your resume. Write: “I’ve increased sales by 30 percent in 6 months” or “I’ve developed & implemented a new technology in production” or “I’ve reduced the cost of maintaining the equipment by 40%”, etc.
3. The Third Paragraph
The main emphasis of the last paragraph is put on showing why you want to get this job. You need to describe your strengths, professional knowledge, & skills that will directly help you better & better perform the tasks assigned to you in your new place of work.
Write here the following:
- Knowledge of PC & special programs. This is true for office workers & employees, whose direct work is connected with the PC. For designers, accountants, programmers, office managers.
- Knowledge of foreign languages. If your future work involves reading, translating or communicating in a foreign language to a certain extent, be sure to write about it.
- Owning a car & driving skills. If your work involves business trips & you often have to drive a car, when working on a position of a sales representative, then it's worth mentioning the presence of your car & the driver's license & length of service.
Having written the three main parts, you are to concentrate on a good conclusion paragraph - the ending. It should be finished with a word “sincerely” plus your full name.
Here are some variants of polite cliches to be used at the end:
- Sincerely;
- Best regards;
- Respectfully yours;
- Kind regards;
- With best regards;
- Thank you for your consideration;
- Thank you.
It will be very good if at the end of the letter you mention the name & the positions of your former managers, & specify their contact numbers so that your potential employer or his representative can ascertain of your professionalism by getting feedback about you from your former immediate supervisors. For this, it is recommended contacting them in advance & notifying them that they can be called & asked briefly to characterize you as a specialist, & just a person.
Even if the HR manager does not call your former managers, the very fact of having contacts for the recommendations will increase his confidence in you. If you have problems writing your cover letter you can refer to team of experts.
