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 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,Cambia,etc
• Use a 10-12 find size.
• Ensure your letter has power words  such as negotiated,persuaded,encouraged,and authored.

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