Writing a cover letter is not as simple as it seems, It may not be technical, but it’s tricky. It can be considered as a keen synopsis of a person’s resume and it all depends upon your skills how strategically you can introduce yourself to get the job. It is a formal piece of writing; you cannot add buntings and fascinating language in a cover letter. It should be to the point and compelling enough to attract the employer. Every time you apply for a new job, your cover letter should be unique. Using the same cover letter more than once does not worth rather, you can make it more interesting and engaging with new changes and modifications.
Why it is important to Write a Cover Letter?
A cover letter provides strong backing to your CV. Even, sometimes an employer doesn’t ask for a Resume or CV but a cover letter to analyze your potential. It provides a brief and instant account of your academic and professional career to the employer. He can easily go through the essential details of your profile within a few seconds or minutes. Many organizations prefer well-composed cover letters of the job applicants to determine how convincing and smart a candidate is.
Diverse Categories of Cover Letters
Cover letters are divided into four different categories. Each category has specific requirements and demands a different tone and style. These include:
- Cover Letter as a fresher
- Cover letter with a previous job experience
- A Cover letter for a job where a Resume is not required
- Cover letter for a job which is not advertised
The one with zero experience should focus on the section of skills, abilities, and achievements to make it eye-catching. Those who have experience can add the responsibilities and duties they can fulfill and are relevant to the job. If the employer doesn’t want a resume but a cover letter, then it should summarize your CV most concisely. Similarly, the requirements keep changing with each category. One should be clear about in which category his/her cover and write the letter accordingly.
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4 Essential Steps to Write a Cover Letter
A cover letter is completely different from a CV or resume. You cannot put all aspects of your profile which you may include in the resume. A cover letter comprises only the selective and the most relevant information. You may divide your cover letter into bullets. The steps mentioned below may help you in this regard.
Step#1 – Give a short account of education
After mentioning your name and the position for which you are applying, you need to briefly highlight your qualification that will tell the employer if you are eligible for the job in terms of education. Only add the most recent degree that you have completed on academic grounds. If you are fresher, then your qualification is your strength.
Step#2 – Highlight your Skills and Expertise
To fill this category, you can create a tagline for yourself like ‘a passionate learner’. Start this paragraph with a creative and compelling tagline and support it with your expertise. Frame your potentials and strengths. You should be original while writing about expertise because the employer can ask cross-questions to check your honesty.
Step#3 – Mention a Remarkable Achievement Relevant to the job
If you have achievements in your portfolio, then it’s a positive point for your cover letter. Select one or two most relevant and significant achievements either of your professional or educational careers. A win in the competition within the relevant industry or published a work which has brought to you acclamation or you are a topper higher academics, then you are rich in worthy achievements.
Step#4 – Convince the Employer
You need to convince the employer to give you a chance to prove your abilities. Tell me about how you are a perfect fit for the job. Explain to the reader why you are worthy of that position and what benefits can you provide to the company. For this purpose, you may add a personal statement. There are professionals too who can add proficiency to your cover letter with a personal statement writing service. They possess exceptional writing skills.
Points to focus on while following the steps:
While writing a cover letter, one should be focused and careful about sentence formation and paragraphs formatting. Keep your sentences precise and comprehensive; long sentences that complex the understanding of the statement. Also, paragraphs should be short; one paragraph should maximum hold three to four lines. Following are some other points of focus:
Length
A cover letter is not a story nor a novel; it should not exceed one page. A lengthy cover letter may annoy the reader that can break the interest of the employer in your profile. No matter how perfectly it is written, a bigger length can ruin all your efforts, so it’s better not to take risks and be concise.
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Structure
You should be presentable in the structure of your cover letter. Its sections should be well aligned, balanced use of bullets, and proper introductory and concluding paragraphs together form a perfect structure. It is the foremost element of the cover letter that builds your impression at first.
Grammar
You should be safe and sound in your grammar. Thoroughly check your punctuations, articles, tenses and look for other mistakes. Grammatical errors irritate the reader as well as distract the fluency, and sometimes these errors can also change the meaning of the sentences. Spelling mistakes are also a drawback.
Readability
It is the most important feature for any sort of content. Distorted readability leads your writing to failure. The sentences should be clear and coherent. You may use a competent vocabulary, but if you are not sure about the meaning of a particular word, it’s better not to use that. Rather, a simple but comprehensible language is more effective. If you are not confident enough about your writing abilities so you may utilize a cover letter writing service. There are hundreds of such services available on the internet that can help you write your cover letter.
What to Include and What to Avoid
- Don’t try to add extra information which is of no use to the organization.
- Include your name, email, and the other essential elements mentioned above but avoid excessive details.
- Do not include your hobbies and personal interests; the employer has nothing to do with it.
- Similarly, stay away from your school achievement records and sports talent, especially when applying for an office job.
- You shouldn’t sound childish or immature in your cover letter.
Conclusion:
A cover letter shows mirrors your personality and prospect through its language, structure, and tone. It should be well-written and satisfy the concerns of the employer. One can write it like an expert by considering the discussed points and following the tips mentioned above.
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