The Art of Cover Letter Writing
Gen Wright
The initial application for a professional position consists of two very important documents: a resume and its cover letter. Since the resume would contain standard information and credentials which could be sent to any employers, the cover letter therefore becomes a significant instrument that an applicant can utilize to customize the application depending on the job being applied for. It is an essential tool that an applicant cannot do without.
Having established the necessity of a cover letter in every job application, it is now vital to learn the correct way of writing a cover letter, after all, this will be a big help in getting noticed, which could result in obtaining that interview. Better yet, it could increase the chances of the applicant of landing that job. The cover letter should be able to make an impact. It should also get the employer interested in you and what you can offer the company. It should show your enthusiasm, confidence and positive attitude. It should reflect your personality, skills interest in the company, your attention to detail and your intellect. Coupled with a professional technique in the template you will use in presenting you letter, your eventual employment will not be so far behind.
My tips in good cover letter writing are the following: first and foremost, do not repeat what is in the resume. Brief details pertinent to the position being applied for and noteworthy information helpful to the application could be highlighted. Secondly, Make sure the first paragraph would indicate clearly the reason for writing and why the applicant is fit for the position. The last paragraph should contain the intention of the applicant to call for follow up. The contact details should also be complete and correct in case the employer calls before the applicant could follow up. In the letter, the applicant should be able to concisely tell something about the company. It would be good for the applicant to research first before writing the cover letter. Information such as those that could be connected to the application is advisable to be included, like how the applicant would be able to support the employer best, given their line of business, etc. Additionally, the letter should include credentials that would most impress the employer and could easily catch their attention. Lastly, the letter should be perfect, without a single typing error or misspelled word. The letter should be physically neat. This alone could already show part of your personality.
Mentioned above are the dos of cover letter writing. I will now enumerate the don'ts. In a cover letter, the aspplicant should not be dishonest. This could be visible once he is interviewed. No rhetorical questions should be asked in the letter. There should also be no negative comments. Perfumed papers or those with loud colors should not be used as well as offbeat fonts. The applicant should not exaggerate the details or become too assertive with the request for interview.
Armed with the above mentioned information and tips in cover letter writing, the applicant should now equip himself with the guidelines in job application interview.