Cover letter

A cover letter is a letter of introduction attached to or accompanying another document such as a resume or a business proposal. Below are 8 documents that need a cover letter:

• Job applications.
• Referrals.
• Prospecting /Letters of Interest.
• Networking.
• Emails.
• Businesses.
• College applications.
• Grant applications

Job application cover letter

This is specific to each position and serves as the introduction to your resume. It also demonstrates your interest in a particular job or employer. Additionally, it summarizes the information in your resume and tells the employers why you believe they should hire you.

Since it is often the first contact with a prospective employer, it should be well-written and concise. The letter should tell your prospective employer the following:

• Why you are interested in the organization.
• Why the organization should hire you.
• When and how you will contact the organization to follow up?

Sections of a Resume/Job application Cover letter

This consists of three parts: Introduction, body, and closing.

Introduction

Your introduction should cover the following:

• Capture the readers’ interest.
• Tell the reader how you learned of the job opening. If appropriate, mention the name of the person who referred you to the company and/or the job opportunity.

Body

In this section, you should include the following:

• Demonstrate your ability to do the job.
• Promote your education, experiences, past jobs, internships, and student activities.
• Illustrate your skills that are related to the position.
• Enhance your accomplishments with details. However, you should not repeat what is in your resume.

Closing

Your closing should include the following:

• Your next steps, including your plan to follow up with the employer.
• Thank the employer for taking the time to consider your application materials.
• Close the cover letter with ‘’Sincerely’’ or’’ Respectfully’’

 Other tips

• Limit the letter to one page.
• Avoid the word ‘’I’’.
• Vary writing style; try to offset long sentences with short ones.
• Personalize each letter; attempt to address each letter to a specific individual.
• Sign the letter.
• Use official font, for example, Arial, Times New Roman, Cambria, etc.
• Use a 10-12 find size.
• Ensure your letter has powerful words such as negotiated, persuaded, encouraged, and authored.

Do you need help crafting a winning cover letter? Please contact us