Most people think that such a thing as a cover letter is both unimportant and even useless. But I must confess – it is one of the most important issues while applying for a job. You can easily write the best resume in the world and be OK for a needed job, but if your cover letter is bad and sounds unnatural, believe me, you’ll never get this job. The cover letter is your brilliant chance to grab an employer’s attention and make him view your résumé.
Before actually writing a letter – think of the following options:
- Updated and great resume.
- Find everything you can about the organization you are going to work in.
- Study the job.
Letter itself:
- heading
It should be kept in a correct format. Line spacing and address are essential for a paper cover letter. For an online version the date alone may will be enough. Put your in the right hand corner. Skip down 4 lines and write the date. Skip down 4 lines again and write the Contact Person, and write something like “Dear Sir/Madam”.
- body
It shouldn’t be more than 3 or 4 paragraphs. Write why you’re writing, then state the exact position you are applying for, specify what you can do and how you became aware of this position. Mention than you resume is included and leave all the necessary contact information.
- ending
Something, like “Yours faithfully” or “Regards” will be OK.
- proofread
Make a proofreading of your letter and be 100 percent sure you have spelled everything completely correctly. Don’t use any contractions (I mean “I’ve” or “I’ll”). Don’t use colloquial style. Don’t write too long letter – keep it simple and straight to the point. Try to sound professional and informative.
