A cover letter is one of the requirements for various positions on the market. Those who want to secure the interview with the HR representative have to consider catching their attention by it. Therefore, the creation of the cover letter appeared to be one of the most important parts of people’s lives. Unfortunately, with the lack of proper mentorship on how to write a cover letter, the one might face issues with achieving their goals. However, this guide will help you to find out how to write a cover letter that will “wow” every employer.
General Rules on How to Write a Cover Letter
First of all, you have to understand that you must not think that something extraordinary is what people are looking for. Also, you should not try to impress people by adding something unusual in your cover letter as you will fail in the majority of cases unless you are aiming at positions related to arts. Instead, you must adhere to the general rules on how to write a cover letter and follow a specific format to make sure you provide the needed impression. On the other hand, believe me, people rarely know standards on how to write a cover letter that I will list below.
Cover Letter’s Heading
All cover letters start with headings at the top. Hence, this part of the letter is meant for identification. Therefore, you must acknowledge these facts:
- Your full name;
- Contact details, such as email and phone number;
- The date you write this letter on. That is mostly for HR to understand that you at least revisited your cover letter on the day you sent it to them.
- The name of the representative you are writing to and their position. As a proven fact, people like to see their names anywhere. Therefore, you must use this in your advantage. Also, by mentioning their position, you are honoring them, which will create a good impression.
- Put the company’s name on the list too. That will give an additional sign to the HR that you revisited the cover letter before the application and did your homework.
Make sure it is all 100% professional with no nicknames, goofy emails, and other destructing issues. Additionally, you can add something like social media contacts, but make sure you review your profile before doing so to avoid bias. Also, if you are writing without knowing who will review your letter, make sure you write on the name of the department that is hiring for a specific position. In any case, do your homework on the company.
Introduсe Yourself
While there are many ways of greeting people and introducing yourself, you should still keep up with the one that works for each cover letter. That is – “Dear …” where you refer to a specific employer or department, as mentioned before. Also, do not be shy about writing people’s names as that is exactly what you need to do. Consequently, as a scientifically proven fact, people like to see their names and never hesitate to use it to benefit. Additionally, some HR representatives might notice only those letters that have their name on it.
Introductory Paragraph of the Cover Letter
The best tip on how to write a cover letter would be not to be yourself on the paper, but to be the perfect version of you. While you must not make up any information, as they will simply check it, you must highlight exactly why you are the perfect fit for the position. Also, the best way to do so is to start the letter with the summary of your strength that makes you the best candidate for the vacancy. Additionally, keep it short, real, and let the fact talk for you. Remember, everyone has something to tell to others while there are no misfits – only poorly written cover letters. As a result, your first paragraph has to quickly provide a brief about you to deliver the needed message before HR puts your cover letter away with others.
Second Paragraph
In your second paragraph, you have to convince that you are the best fit for the team. While listing your achievements after mentioning the most important ones in the first paragraph seems logical – do not do so. What you should do is to research what the company you are applying to is looking for. Also, check their requirements for the vacancy and what they are aiming at. Companies usually know exactly what they are looking for and they will provide such a list of their needs. However, if their list is general, make sure you still address each one of them. The best way to do so is to reply to the stated criteria directly and to tell the reader why you will cover such need.
Third Paragraph
Now, it is time for you to show how well you are prepared to operate within the company. Also, in this paragraph, you must prove that you did your homework and know everything about the company’s vision, mission, goals, and more. That is important because, in the third paragraph, you have to talk about your connection to it and how the company fits you. In other words, you have to explain how the perspective of the company lines up with your dreams.
Closing Paragraph
Now, when you are done with explaining yourself, you should make sure the reader will contact you. In your closing paragraph, you appeal to the reader formally writing how the call will be important to you and that you are available for their messages all the time just to hear that you are hired. Also, you must make a rhetorical appeal to the reader and make sure that they see value in your cooperation with them. You have to “sell” your skills appealing to logic, your credibility, skills, and, hopefully, emotions.
How to End a Cover Letter
There are not a lot of possibilities for you to correctly close your cover letter. Remember we talked that sticking to conservatism is the best decision when you think about how to write a cover letter? Nothing changed. You can choose how to close your letter by taking any of the provided closings below:
- Kind regards,
- Best regards,
- Thank you,
- Sincerely,
- With kind regards,
- With best regards,
- Best regards and have a nice day,
- Kind regards and have a nice day.
That is it. Never try to use something informal. Make sure your closing is formal, and your name appears in the end. You must not write any nicknames or shortcuts.
Additional Tips on How to Write a Cover Letter
Make sure your cover letter is as short as possible. You should never exceed one page. Also, never use weird fonts and other art-related aspects of writing if you are not applying for an artist. Additionally, if you add anything – try to make sure that it is very as the more you write, the more mistakes you might do. At the point where you lost the attention of the reader – you missed your chance. Make sure that each word counts and keep it up from the first letter till the last.
Further Reading As a student, employee or employer, you might need more than just skills on how to write a cover letter. For example, you might need memo examples to learn how to communicate with others in the workplace. Hence, you will find more educational content on the website that will aid you on your career path.