Five Writing Cover Letters Tips

Writing cover letters can be an overwhelming task especially if it’s your first time. You don’t want to leave something out or you don’t want it to be too long. Some people do a lot of research about writing a cover letter so they will know what to do. However, if we do a lot of research we get overwhelmed with so many pointers that we get lost. If you are one of these people, don’t fret. Writing cover letters is actually pretty easy given the right techniques.

Tips in Writing Cover Letters

As we all know, the cover letter is our sales letter. We should bear in mind that our potential employer’s first impression of us will be the contents of that letter. Your cover letter should demonstrate your qualifications that will make you stand out from the sea of applicants. The cover letter will personalize your resume. When writing cover letters, here are the things you need to keep in mind.

1.      Keep it short and straight to the point.

When writing a cover letter, remember that you are not the only one applying for that position. The person reviewing your applications have other tasks too. The hiring manager will not sit and read long cover letters. Chances are, they will read the first few lines. If it goes on and on, your cover letter and resume are going straight to the shredder. Keep it short. A few paragraphs and not exceeding a page.

2.      Start off with your introduction.

You should start the first paragraph with an introduction when writing cover letters. You should make sure that you are addressing the letter to a specific person. If you don’t have a name, do your research or inquire about it. Do not put a generic “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN”. When writing a cover letter, your first paragraph should include details about yourself and your intention for contacting them. This is where you tell them why you want to work for them. It is also wise to do some research about the company so you can incorporate that in the first paragraph.

3.      Provide some highlights from your resume.

On the second paragraph, you should mention your qualifications when writing cover letters. You don’t need to write everything, just highlight the things that are related to the job. This is the part where you bring out the big guns. When writing one, the second paragraph is where you want to impress the employer. This will be the longest part of your letter but don’t get carried away. Remember that they are looking for that person who will fit the needs of the position. When writing cover letters, use this chance to show them that you are an exact fit.

4.      End with an interview in mind.

The main goal is for you to be shortlisted. This means, you will have a chance to be interviewed. Make sure that you have this in mind when closing your letter. Writing cover letters that end with saying you are available to discuss about the opportunity is recommended. Thank them for reading your letter and say that you look forward to meeting them personally.

5.      Write your own cover letter.

When we are overwhelmed with a lot of things, we sometimes resort to using templates. There are a lot of generic ones available. However, it is in your best interest not to do that. Writing cover letters yourself is much better than sending a generic one. And another thing to keep in mind, double check if the spelling and grammar are correct when writing a cover letter. Keep the cover letter simple, neat, and easy to the eye.

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