Cover Letter Writing Must Dos Custom Search
It doesn’t matter whether your cover letter writing is for college planning , or for your long term career goals. You need a professional cover letter if you want to get a job interview you desperately deserve and want. I have done more than my fair share of cover letter writing, business writing, and technical writing for many organizations and individuals (about me) here. But like anything else in life, cover letter writing like any skill has to be practiced and learned in order to become proficient. Otherwise your cover letter writing pursuits will end in dismal failures.. How to write a cover letter that is effective is not difficult to do. There are specific key elements you must include in the basic cover letter template. Key Elements for a Successful Cover Letter FIRST PARAGRAPH: This is the why I am writing to you paragraph, the introduction which if done correctly, should inform the potential employer about the position vacancy you are applying. This is a short paragraph and usually should take no more than 3-5 sentences. Be succinct and to point here in your cover letter content writing . Why you are writing and which position you are applying? Be specific here. Do not state for any openings for which I may qualify. Explaining how you heard about the position is irrelevant unless it is a mutual contact or recruiting program for which you were referred. Provide the name of the source if you know it. Demonstrate and Prove why you should be considered for this position. Make sure you tie in your skills and experiences as it relates to this position. The goal here is to make a connection with the potential company-but be ever so brief, specific and to the point. Leave out all unnecessary chatter, except standard business communication with 100% honesty and transparency. Please be honest here, lying will do nothing but to get you fired. Honesty is really the best policy, and reflects your character development or lack thereof. Be succinct and to the point! Your overall objective and smart goals in this exercise is to progress to the next stage-the actual interview. You're trying to obtain an interview-you're NOT trying to make a friend.... SECOND PARAGRAPH: This is the "why I'm qualified" paragraph. You should Highlight some of your most relevant experiences and qualifications as they pertain to the vacancy for which you are applying. I recommend that you select and choose 3-5 KEY points in this section, that you want the hiring manager or HR specialist to know about your specific experiences and/or accomplishments and how these experiences relate and tie into the position you are applying. But I caution you here; your 3-5 points need to be specific and demonstrate your knowledge base and skill sets as it pertains to the vacancy you are applying. You will change this section when you apply to different positions and employers. This is usually the longest part of the letter, and can be several paragraphs in length, but keep this section focused-do not ramble. The first sentence in this section should be the sentence that grabs the employer’s attention….. and it should be a quick introduction, which is achievement and accomplishment oriented-directed to the skills and qualifications required for this position you are applying. The body of the paragraph should provide evidence to back up what you've just claimed and have already stated. Cite specific jobs, internships, activities and project accomplishments associated with those experiences. from your CV, or if you're not sure about the quality of your resume, now is the time to work and perfect your resume writing as well. Cite specific examples in your CV, but NEVER reiterate passages from your resume word for word. Discuss what you did to the potential employer and always relate the facts to the job you are considering. The final sentence is a summary of what you've discussed above. It's a good idea to mention the vacancy position title and the company name one last time to bring the reader of the cover letter back to the specific job in question. FINAL PARAGRAPH: This is a short 2-4 sentences paragraph at the most. You should refer to the enclosed resume, request an interview and let the reader know what will happen next. Unless the employer/recruiting agency state no phone calls on the website or in the announcement , then it is advisable to follow-up within a two week period. It is vital that you thank the reader for his/her time and consideration. Sincerely, Your Signature Your Name Spell Check Thoroughly This is probably self-explanatory but you should perform a thorough spell-check for proper spelling and grammar before you hit the send button and send your cover letter and resume. If there is anything that will derail your prospects for an interview-it is a poorly written cover letter with poor grammar and spelling errors. Make sure you take your time to ensure you have thoroughly reviewed everything before you put it in the mail. Remember: ”The only Unfulfilled Goals in Your Life are the Ones you Never Attempt” |
writing is a skill that has to be mastered and learned, however many people rush through this task, without taking their time in how to write a cover letter with proper 
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