How to write a cover letter:

A cover letter gives you the opportunity to explain to an employer why your résumé is worth reading. If your cover letter is poorly written, then you can throw your chances of getting a job out the window. Here are some tips for writing a great cover letter: 

Refer to your résumé, but don’t copy it — Cover letters and résumés are like bread and butter — they go together. However, that doesn’t mean that your cover letter is an almost exact copy of your résumé. Rather, your cover letter gives you the chance to better explain the qualifications that you mention in your résumé. 

Format correctly — Consult formatting guides, like the one found here, to make sure that your line spacing and content are correctly arranged. And while there are different versions of formats, the standard business format prefers left justification and no punctuation after the salutation and closure (i.e. Dear Dr. Johnson and Sincerely). However, a colon after the salutation and a comma after the closure are OK too.

Follow the three-step approach — The body of your letter should only be about three or four paragraphs long. The first paragraph should explain what job you’re applying for and why. In the next one or two paragraphs, describe your qualifications for the position. A great, eye-catching way to do this is by making a table with two columns that show how you can directly contribute to the success of a company. (See an example here.)  End your cover letter with one or two confident statements about how you believe your qualifications merit you for the position in question and how you look forward to meeting with your employer (i.e. be asked for an interview).

Proofread — Don’t use contractions (“I’m” should be “I am”). Punctuation should be used carefully — never use exclamation points. Always use spell check. The tone of your overall letter should be cheerful and positive, yet still professional. And finally, keep the document to one page. Employers are only going to spend about 15 to 30 seconds scanning your cover letter so keep it concise and to the point.

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Anonymous

Fri Apr 30 2010 17:19

ausome

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