If you have been sending your resume to recruiters without a cover letter, please stop! Cover letters can boost your chances of getting called for interviews. If you send a well-written cover letter along with your resume, you are letting the recruiter know that you are a worthy applicant. And they should pay attention to you. Read ahead to learn how to write a good cover letter!
rnYour resume lists out all the details for you to prove yourself to the recruiters. But, you don’t get a chance to go into detail. This is where your cover letter steps in. Your cover letter can go into detail about skills and experiences that are relevant to the job. You will also be able to showcase how passionate you are about the job and the company you are applying to.
rnThe recruiter will see that you have the qualities that set you apart from the other applicants. So, unless the job listing states that a cover letter isn’t required, you should send one! This shows that you are willing to go the extra mile for your job.
rnWant to know how to write a good cover letter? Keep reading!
rn1. You should customize each cover letter
rnIf you want to land a good job, you will have to put in a little extra work. You will have to customize each cover letter based on the job description of the company. A generic cover letter will do nothing to boost your chances of getting that job. A generic cover letter tells the recruiter that you’re another ordinary applicant.
rn2. You could go into detail about a skill/experience or anything else
rnA cover letter is an ideal place for you to sell yourself to the recruiter. A well written cover letter can capture the attention of the recruiter. The recruiter will then give special attention to your resume. You can also go into detail about job changes or gap years listed in your resume. This helps the recruiter understand you better.
rn3. You should go through samples and templates of cover letters
rnTo make your job easier, go through samples and templates on the Internet. This will give you a better understanding about the layout and content of a good cover letter. Also, if your friends or someone in your family knows how to write a good cover letter, then ask them for their help. This will be an added bonus!
rn4. You should make sure your cover letter is free of errors
rnYou should use simple and clear sentences in your cover letter. This is to ensure that you do not come off as show-offish or trying too hard. You should also go through your cover letter a few times to make sure that it is free of grammatical errors. Language errors is always frowned upon. But, this does not mean that the recruiter expects you to use Shakespearean writing. Make sure the cover letter is free of typos, punctuation errors, etc.
There are many samples and templates of cover letters that can be of use. The ones listed in this article can also help give you an understanding of what to put in your cover letter. Take some time to understand the descriptions of all the jobs you will be applying to. Design cover letters based on your understanding. With the help of the Internet, this article and your family/friends, you will be able to come up with a powerful resume that will impress the recruiters.
Go through the samples below!
rnRecent Graduate with work experience
rnMy name is [your name]. Please accept my application for the open [position] role at your company. After reviewing your job description, I believe that I have the necessary skills and abilities to fill the role.
rnI am a [insert positive trait] college student [insert GPA, [major]] currently attending [college name]. During the course of my academic career, I also managed to gain nearly [# of months/years of experience] of work experience. I had the privilege of working for [your current company’s name] in a [your current job title] role in my free time, where I learned valuable professional skills such as [insert 1-3 hard professional skills]. In both my academic and professional life, I have been consistently praised as [insert positive trait] by my professors and peers. Whether working on academic, extracurricular, or professional projects, I apply proven [insert 1-3 soft skills] skills, which I hope to leverage into the [position] role at your company.
rnAfter reviewing my resume, I hope you will agree that I am the type of competent and reliable candidate that you are looking for. I look forward to elaborating on how I can help benefit your organization, and assist your business achieve its goals. Please contact me at [PHONE] or via email at [EMAIL] to arrange for a convenient meeting time.
rnThank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
rnYours sincerely,
rn(Your name)
rnRecent Graduate without work experience
rnMy name is [your name]. Please accept my application for the open [position] role at your company. After reviewing your job description, I believe that I have the necessary skills and abilities to fill the role.
rnI am a [insert positive trait] recent college graduate [(insert GPA, [major])] from [college name]. Throughout my academic career, I was consistently praised as [insert positive trait] by my professors and peers. While working on academic and extracurricular projects, I developed proven [insert 1-3 soft skills] skills, which I hope to leverage into the [position] role at your company.
rnAfter reviewing my resume, I hope you will agree that I am the type of competent and reliable candidate that you are looking for. I look forward to elaborating on how I can help benefit your organization, and assist your business achieve its goals. Please contact me at [PHONE] or via email at [EMAIL] to arrange for a convenient meeting time.
rnThank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
rnYours sincerely,
rn(Your name)