How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job You need to write a cover letter, but what is a cover letter, exactly? And what’s the best way to write it? Learn how to write a cover letter with expert tips and examples.

 

What is a cover letter?

I was ready to apply for this great position, but while reading the job advertisement, I came across three words: Attach a cover letter. Now you’re scratching your head and wondering: What is a resume cover letter? How do you write one?

Don’t panic. We’ll tell you everything, from start to finish.

What is a cover letter for a job?

A cover letter is a document attached to a job application that aims to present the candidate in a more personal way. It should complement the information on a CV or resume, expand on skills and achievements and highlight a selection of the most relevant accomplishments.

You see? It’s not rocket science. It is just a message supporting your job application.

What is the purpose of a cover letter?

There are many reasons why hiring managers ask for cover letters and why job candidates should write them. The main reason is that a cover letter can provide additional information and more personal information, which is difficult to understand when reading a resume.

Here are some other things a cover letter used for:

• Makes you stand out from other applicants
• Expresses your interest in the position
• Shows your knowledge about the company
• Presents how your skills and experience can assist the company
• Proves you understand the needs of the company

And that’s why it’s worth spending some time writing a great cover letter that does all of the above.

Now that you know what a cover letter is and what’s the purpose of a cover letter, it’s time to learn other things.

 

How to Write a Cover Letter?

Watch a video to unmask the hidden truths of writing a cover letter for a job:

 

Without further delay, let’s move on to detailed guidelines on how to write a successful cover letter:

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

1. Start With a Header

Yes, basically First, the cover letter header should include the following:

• Your name
• Your phone number
• Your email address
• The date
• The name of the hiring manager/company and their professional title
• The name and address of the employing company to which you’re applying

Optionally, you can add:

• Your professional title
• Your home address
• Links to your professional websites
• Your social media accounts (applicable only for LinkedIn and Twitter)
• Your place of residence (it’s not compulsory but adds some professional touch— so include it on your cover letter if it is highly official)

Just remember to keep it professional:

• Use an email address from a respected and reliable service provider—that means either Gmail, yahoo, Hotmail, outlook or your personal domain (if you have one.)
• Your email address must only include your first and last name— example,  [email protected]  coolvaness[email protected] or [email protected] will be deal-breakers.
• Don’t ever use your current work place address to send your email cover letter. It’s catastrophic and impolite to both your current and potential future employer.
• Make sure your contact information is same and consistent across your resume, cover letter, and social media profiles.

2. Address the Reader 

Who do you address a cover letter to?

You address your cover letter directly to the human resource or hiring manager who’ll read it.

The greeting part of the cover letter (i.e., the salutation) will likely be the very first thing the human resource manager sees. This makes it one of the most important if not the most important parts of a cover letter. There’s this great, sure strategy to make your greeting catch the human resource manager’s attention:

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

Dear Katherine,

 

Yeh! That’s right. Their name.

 

As humans, when we hear or see our name, we tend to react. There’s a lot of science behind this:

 

Once the human resource manager sees his/her name in the greeting part of your cover letter, he/she will have this feeling like they’ve found something designed absolutely for them. It will likely feel personal; they’ll have this mind set that whatever comes next might just be the exact information they are looking for.

 

The following are very good examples of a professional cover letter greetings:

 

• Dear Katherine,
• Dear Miss Jones,
• Dear Ms. Smith,
• Dear Mrs. Ford,
• Dear Mr. McConnor,
• Dear Engr. Uche
• Dear Dr. Orduda

How can a job seeker find out the human resource manager’s name?

Do some research!

Look into the job specification or description to see if the recruiter left their name or go to the company’s LinkedIn or twitter page. You should find the recruiter responsible for uploading that particular job offer.

 

There are multiple ways to find out who your human resource manager is.

Who to address a cover letter if no human resource manager’s name is provided?

 

If you can not find any name by any means possible, opt for Dear Human Resources Manager. Avoid starting your cover letter “to whom it may concern.” And if you are not a resident of Victorian England, do not start a cover letter with “Dear Sir or Madam.”

 

Have a look at those example cover letter greetings:

 

• Dear Sales Team Human Resources Manager,
• Dear Human Resource Manager,
• Dear [XYZ XYZ XYZ Company] Team,

 

Done with the greeting and header? Now it’s time for the chicken and chips. The central or main paragraphs of your cover letter.

3. Show Your Enthusiasm in the Opening

Here’s the bitter truth:

These very few sentences at the starting of your cover letter will determine whether the human resource manager will read on.

 

You must have to make your cover letter introduction attract and hold the human resource manager’s interest.

 

There are some few different, effective techniques for your cover letter opening. You can pinpoint your achievements, show case how well you understand your prospective employer’s needs, or base the intro on your enthusiasm.

 

You can have a look at these two examples cover letter opening paragraphs:

Why is it so bad?

 

Because it provides little or no value and details, the summary is: “I’ve already done this job and I think I’d fit in.” And it’s not enough for someone with more than six years of experience to get the job.

Now, below is a properly written cover letter opening example:

“Wow, you’ll have to be a lunatic not to hire such job seeker!”

Now, that was the response this cover letter’s first paragraph will bring.

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

Let’s look at  creating a cover letter for an internship and don’t have any achievements to present? Don’t worry.

4. Explain in Summary Why You’re the Perfect Fit

What is expected in a cover letter’s second paragraph?

As a  job seeker, you need to get the human resource manager exactly what he/she is looking for. You have to display that you will satisfy the company’s specific and immediate needs.

Remember Judith, our community marketing assistant candidate? The XYZ marketing Foundation to which she’s applying needs:

• First of all, a savvy community marketing assistant (1).
• And, in addition of that, someone who can supervise the development of its new online portal (2).

Let’s look at how Judith managed in showing that she’s both:

See how it’s done?

In the first sentence of your cover letter, show case that you are an expert in your own field. But don’t make it look like you are bragging. The other part of your cover letter’s second paragraph should be everything about how your previous experiences will help your future employer achieve ahead with their plans.

Job seekers impress employers by identifying transferable skills related to new jobs. People often apply for new positions, so you probably don’t have the exact experience required. But employers prefer to know how your past experiences will influence future decisions. Are you a hostess? Combine these administrative and organizational skills with the position of executive assistant.

Now see what you should not do:

The websites my team worked on performed best on Google for key terms and phrases.

 

You should quickly understand the real difference. There is a digital marketing leader with results, that’s right. But the hiring manager is looking for key metrics, numbers, and accomplishments that this particular candidate is missing.

5. Show Your Motivation to Join the Company

Your future employers have needs. If they are willing to hire you, it is because they think you will meet those needs.

But they also want you to enjoy working with them. They want your future job to be rewarding for you – that way they know you’ll stay with them longer.

The third paragraph of the key to writing a perfect cover letter for a hiring manager explains why you want this job, not just any job. This is especially important when writing a cover letter for beginners. Enthusiasm and passion helps you demonstrate that you will be ready for action right away.

Above all, you want to avoid writing too much of a generic cover letter. Generic doesn’t win jobs, but custom and targeted win.

 

Here’s the easiest way to do it:

 

• Start with a company fact – for instance, an upcoming project (1)
• Say why you find it interesting (2)
• Reiterate that your experience and knowledge will let you succeed with the project (3)

 

Have a look at this cover letter example:

And now check this one:

What did you say of the year? It’s not from the beginning. Recruiters don’t want to see generic cover letters created for anyone. They want to read cover letters written with their own requirements in mind.

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job

6. Close With a Promise

How to make the best cover letter ending?

Long story short: by providing value.

 

Tell the human resource manager that you are looking forward for a meeting in person and discussing how your knowledge and experience can help your prospective employer in fulfilling their goals.

 

Like in this cover letter example:

Two worst cover letter mistakes a job seeker can make in the final paragraph are:

 

1. Being needy means focusing on how much you want the job, not what you have to offer.
2. Repeating the cliched phrase “Thank you for your attention and time.”

7. Stay Formal in the Closing Salutation

Once you’ve written the body of your cover letter, all you have to do is put a formal conclusion at the very end.

Write “Best regards” followed by your full name. Adding your handwritten signature is optional, but recommended for more formal cover letters.

If you’re not a fan of the hackneyed “Best regards,” feel free to use any of the following synonyms:

 

• Thank you,
• Best regards,
• Kind regards,
• Sincerely,
• With best regards.

 

These ones listed above are likely going to be your safest bets. Still not what you’re looking for?

 

• Thank you for your consideration,
• Regards,
• Sincerely yours,
• Yours truly,
• Respectfully yours.

8. Add a Postscript

 

All of the above sections are must-haves in a good cover letter format. But there’s one special trick you can use:

The postscript.

Why the “P.S.” is it so important? Because it’s like a magnet for the eyes of the recruiter. He shouts, “You must not disregard this information.

Use the postscript to tell the hiring manager something compelling about your career (1), even if it’s not directly related to the job posting.

And say that you would like to give them more details (2) if they find it interesting.

Like in our cover letter example: