How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

Key takeaways

• A cover letter is an essential part of the job application process.
• Your email address should contain your first and last name, and it should be simple.
• I look forward to hearing from you.’, will give the letter a proper ending.

A cover letter is an essential part of the job application process. All jobs require the applicant to submit a cover letter.

A cover letter is submitted to the potential employer to get to know you better and see if you are the right candidate for the job. So, the cover letter starts with your introduction. Who are you? Then mention the job you are applying for and work your way to mentioning your experience, expertise, and skills. The letter should be persuasive and should grab the reader’s attention and intrigue him/her to read your resume.

Match the Cover Letter to the Job #

One of the best strategies to opt for when writing a cover letter is to find out to whom to address the letter. Find the name of the person who will be reading your letter, and starting with their name will show that you pay attention to detail. In most cases, the advertisement for the job mentions whom to send the resume and letter to. If you don’t know, then calling the organization and asking for the person’s name can go a long way. Never use their first name; instead, use Mr. or Ms. and their last name.

Looking through the job description and what you will be responsible for will help you relate it to your previous work experience. By relating it with your experience, the employer can know how you work and what you have done in the past. Getting in contact with an employee working in the same department or a similar job in the organization and asking them questions to better understand the position can help you match your cover letter to the job. The questions that you can ask are:

1. Does the role involve working as part of a team?
2. Who will I be directly reporting to?
3. What skills or expertise in a person are you looking for, for this job?
4. What sort of tasks and responsibilities was the previous employee responsible for?

Get to know the company you are applying to. Browse their website and their social media pages to get a sense of the company culture and values.

What Should I Include in the Cover Letter? #

Name and Contact Details #

Your name and contact details are the first things the employer will look at. These details should be at the top of your letter. The email address should give a professional impression. Email addresses like helloexyzname348@mail.com are not professional and leave a bad impression. Your email address should contain your first and last name, and it should be simple. Add your phone number to the contact details, mentioning the area code.

The job you are applying for #

It would be best if you mentioned what job you are applying for and the position. Starting the opening paragraph with, for example, ‘I am writing to apply for the position of XYZ at ABC company.’ This will set the tone for the reader from the very start.

Mention your skills #

Now comes the main part. Start listing your skills and experiences. You can either make bullet points or write a short paragraph. Most job vacancies you find now through advertisements or LinkedIn mention the job description and the skills or experience you need to qualify for the job. Look through them and respond to all the essential skills mentioned in the job description with your skills.

Stating what kind of skill you have is not enough. Add how you gained that skill, where, and how you learned it to give more context. For example, if you gained a particular skill through an online course, mention who led the course or when you completed the course.

Why are you the right person for the job? #

This section is the most challenging part and where many people face difficulties. Now that you have listed all your skills and experiences, you should explain why you are the right person for this job. For example, if you worked in a team at your previous job, mention it: ‘My ability to work in a team setting in solving problems in my previous role makes me ideally suited for this job.’

Incorporate the values of the organization in your letter #

As you would have browsed through the company’s website and social media pages, you would have analyzed what sort of values the organization has. Use them in the letter. If they treat their employees like family, use it. This will show that you have done your research and will look like a promising candidate.

Ask Them to Contact You #

End your cover letter by asking the employer to read your resume and ask them to contact you. Writing: ‘I have attached a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you.’, will give the letter a proper ending.

Some pointers for the cover letter

• Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes
• Avoid using ‘I’ too much in the letter
• Re-word the details in your resume rather than typing out your entire resume
• Never mention any other jobs (if any) you have applied for
• Keep the letter under one page
• Use proper formatting, readable font style (Times New Roman), and size (12 pts)

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Questions and answers

Why are you the right person for the job? #

This section is the most challenging part and where many people face difficulties. Now that you have listed all your skills and experiences, you should explain why you are the right person for this job.

So, the cover letter starts with your introduction. Who are you? #

Then mention the job you are applying for and work your way to mentioning your experience, expertise, and skills. The letter should be persuasive and should grab the reader’s attention and intrigue him/her to read your resume.