4 Ways To Write A Great Cover Letter
When applying to work at a company, including a cover letter may be mandatory. Even if it is not, you should still attach one as it shows you have gone the extra effort and they can see what kind of person you are from the contents of this letter, rather than just some qualifications on a CV. Qualifications are important too, but with so many competitive roles available now, standing out from the crowd is a must. Here are four tips for writing your next cover letter.
Don’t Repeat Your Cover Letter
If you are just going to write a standard cover letter and attach it to each company you apply for, you may as well not bother. Companies will get this day in and day out and they can recognize who has made the effort and who has attached a standard letter to their resume. Make your cover letter is relevant to the company or brand. If you are applying for a job in fashion, perhaps you could mention something about one of the latest fashion trends or something about their brand; adding a bit of knowledge or expertise in there can make a big difference.
You Do Not Have to Address Anyone
If you know exactly whom your resume is heading to, make sure you write their name on the cover letter; if you are unsure, you do not need to address “to whom it may concern”. If you have no idea where your resume is headed then just attach the cover letter and dive straight into the main body. For more information about writing cover letters and resumes, check out TheJobexplorer.com.
Short and Sweet
A long cover letter will mean someone is more than likely going to give up halfway through reading it. If someone is reading through cover letter after cover letter, they are going to get fed up, as would anyone. They are looking for someone who stands out from the crowd. You need to get straight into the parts that really matter. You need to wow them. Half a page or a couple of paragraphs is enough to make an impression, but do not overdo it. It also shows you can get straight to the point, which is what a lot of companies will look for in their employees.
Formatting
If you are sending a cover letter attached to a resume online, your best bet is to ensure it is in PDF form. PDF’s can be opened from all computer systems, straight from the email. With other documents such as .doc files, the format may change slightly, depending what system they are using or how updated their systems are, or yours for that matter. The best guarantee that your cover letter will be seen how you want it to be seen is to attach as a PDF.
There are many cover letter builders online if you need help with formatting. Remember to proofread your cover letter and ask someone else to do it too, as the last thing you want is to send it with grammatical errors.