What Is A Cover Letter ?
By the name itself, it says something that 'covers something'. Thus here, a cover letter / covering letter is a short document that is always put in the beginning of your resume or CV. It is the first and foremost thing that a company sees when they receive your application, hence is the most important part of your CV. A perfect covering letter gives a brief introduction about yourself, your work and interests. In simple words, it tells the company who you are as a professional individual.
Why Is A Good Covering Letter Important ?
A good covering letter is crucial for the following reasons:
- It is usually said that first impressions are the most important part of any meeting. Sometimes it may be misleading but sadly this is the truth. Therefore, a perfectly framed cover letter can get you into the HR's eyes and you can be in their list.
- A major disadvantage of a poorly- written cover letter is that it fails to describe you. This can get you in trouble as the HR may think you unfit for their prospective role.
Where Are Covering Letters Required ?
Usually, covering letters are necessary when you apply for any job, internship or related purposes. Lets see these fields in detail.
FOR INTERNSHIPSUsually, students or freshers apply for internships to gain a plenty of experience in the field they are going to work for. Hence, the covering letter should contain the certifications, experience (if any) in the field, any workshops or seminars attended by them related to the field.
Also, one should also add their educational qualifications and out-of-the-box experiences.
FOR JOBSWhen you apply for a job, then you need to be more specific than that for internships. Thus, the covering letter should be a powerful one. For instance, it should reflect your professionalism as a potential employee, which if the company doesn't hire, would lose an important part.
Moreover, your covering letter should contain the fundamental things required for that particular position that you applied for.
Also, try to add something interesting to make your impression an effective one.
FOR OTHER PURPOSESThere are many times when people seek jobs, not specific to some field. It's more oriented towards their academic qualifications and their experience in the field of education. Here, covering letters are important.
Furthermore, these documents are also in usage in business such as contracted drafts, applying for loans, and many more.
Also Read How To Introduce Yourself In a Job InterviewHow To Write A Good Covering Letter- The Format
There are two important things on how to write a good covering letter- the format and the style.
CONTACT INFORMATIONThe format is something that everyone should keep in mind before writing a covering letter. So, let's have a look at the format.
SALUTATIONThis is the first part or header of your covering letter. It should contain your basic information so that they could contact you in the future. For instance, your name, contact number, email address and your profile links on social media websites (if any) are some of the necessary things to be kept in mind while writing the basic info.
Addressing the higher authorities or any other official properly is equally important as any other thing. The proper greeting is the sign that you respect them and their designation. For this, add the employer's address and contact information, along with the present date. The format of salutation goes this way:
- The present date
- Employer's name
- Name of the company
- Address of the company
After that, when it comes to greeting, remember that the person sitting in the hiring position is not your relative or friend. Hence, you can start with "Respected Sir/ Madam" or "Respected Hiring Manager". Try to avoid addressing them in an informal tone.
SECOND PARAGRAPHThe first paragraph is where your actual introduction starts. Keep it simple, crisp, eye- catchy and understandable. Give a brief initiation about yourself, where you tell about your interests, experience, qualification and the position for which you applied for. In addition to that, tell them why you need the job/ internship and why they should hire you.
This is generally the body of the covering letter, where you further tell about yourself. Here, you tell them about your achievements, certifications, accomplishments, etc. to let them know that you are desiring.
CONCLUSIONHere's a pro tip: Add the qualities in the body that the company has put in their job description. This way, you can introduce yourself as a desirable and perfect candidate.
Now that you have given a proper introduction of yourself in the covering letter, now it's time to conclude it with a formal and polite note. Try not to sound too desperate, but be appealing. Thank the hiring manager/ employer for reading this far. Moreover, add the statement telling them to contact you whatever their decision might be. Remember to make the conclusion fresh and call-to-action.
Some Other Tips And Tricks On 'How To Write A Good Covering Letter'
There are few things to keep in mind while writing an appealing cover letter. Hence, here are a few ways on how to write a good covering letter.
- Be clear with the purpose of your covering letter. Try to make it simple and easy to read.
- Don't exceed your cover letter for more than 250 words.
- While you are mentioning your skills, don't be too proud about your achievements. This may lead to the job slipping away from your hand.
- One of the most frequent mistakes people make while writing a cover letter is the use of the pronoun 'I'. Use more verbs and transition words in your text.
- Keep the font style and font size under check. As far as concerned, the formal font styles are Times New Roman, Arial or Verdana. Regarding font size, the maximum digit that you should go for in normal text is 12, and the least should be 10. Use proper margins and appropriate line spacing. When attaching the cover letter, the document format should either be DOCX or PDF. Other types aren't appropriate for official work.
This is the sample covering letter: