The ability to write a cover letter in English is an essential skill that a modern specialist should possess. An attractive cover letter, drawn up in compliance with all the rules and regulations for its preparation, significantly increases the applicant’s chances of getting a job, even with a weak resume. In addition, it helps to “sell” oneself in a highly competitive labor market. This is the most important component of the image of a potential employee, no less important than a resume.
What Is a Cover Letter: Why Should Every Job Seeker Get Involved in Writing It?
A cover letter is a document sent along with a resume in which the applicant introduces himself, his skills, abilities, and experience. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate your compliance with the requirements of the vacancy, and your strengths, distinguish your candidacy from the background of other applicants and demonstrate your command of business communication etiquette in English.
The employer reviews the cover letter before reading the resume. It is designed to interest a potential employer in your candidacy. That is why it plays an important role in the subsequent interpretation and perception of the information contained in the resume. An incorrectly written cover letter can cause even a perfect resume to be ignored.
As one of the types of business correspondence, a cover letter has its own clear structure and stylistic writing features. Therefore, it is advisable to start working with this type of business document by presenting a correctly drafted sample cover letter for subsequent analysis of its structural components and features. Of course, if you have any difficulties with this, you can always hire a cover letter writer who will write a quality paper for you within a set timeframe. However, if you want to learn how to cope with the task, find valuable expert tips below.
When Is It Appropriate to Create a Cover Letter?
There are a few typical cases where writing a cover letter is a must.
Young Professionals
At the beginning of a career, a specialist has a lot of energy and a desire to show his abilities and knowledge. Still, there is no relevant experience or necessary skills. In this case, in a cover letter, you can talk about your desire to develop in this particular area, show your potential, and talk about your achievements during your studies.
In Case of Incomplete Compliance with the Position
In this case, on the one hand, it is essential to focus on that part of your experience that meets the requirements of the position. On the other hand, it is worth giving examples that will make sure that you learn easily, quickly learn new things, and are the initiator of innovations. This can be confirmed by specific cases allowing the employer to understand what new tools you have introduced into the company, how you have rebuilt existing processes, etc.
When Changing Profession
The specialist already has experience in a certain field, but he intends to change the direction of his work. In this case, the main task of the cover letter is to show the benefits of previous work experience in a new profession. Demonstrate with concrete examples that you have qualities and skills that will be useful in a new job.
Higher Position
If you want to take a position higher than you are working now, then in your cover letter, you should tell about the projects you have implemented, your role in them, and the initiatives that you proposed and implemented. Maybe, you coordinated the work of other specialists. Don’t forget to mention this as well.
Top Management Positions
A cover letter is a must-have for people applying for top management positions. The letter should be concise. It should tell about the projects you have been involved in and the results achieved.
When Is a Cover Letter Not Necessary?
A cover letter is not required when recruiting for mass positions. Mass recruitment is used in cases where you need to quickly close the vacancies of cashiers, salespeople, couriers, contact center operators, etc., in a short time. In such cases, the recruiter concentrates on selecting candidates with the most relevant work experience based on resumes.
Structure of the Cover Letter
When writing a cover letter, follow the following structure:
- Greeting. If you know the name of the recruiter who will be reading the letter, be sure to address the name;
- Introducing yourself. Tell me about yourself and why you are writing this letter. Indicate the title of the vacancy and where you found out about it. Indicate how your previous experience can be useful to the company and why you should be chosen. Avoid abstract phrases and generalizations, use facts, and give concrete examples;
- Description of motivation. Pay special attention to values: in what ways do your personal, professional, and company values coincide, and how can this help to achieve a common result;
- Conclusion. Express gratitude for the attention and end the letter with a call to action “I hope for further cooperation”.
Important Rules for Writing a Cover Letter
Here is a list of important rules to follow when writing a cover letter:
- A separate cover letter should be prepared for each vacancy. It cannot be universal;
- The volume of the cover letter should be no more than 0.5 A4 page;
- The letter should not duplicate or repeat the content of the resume;
- Use a business style of communication, but avoid excessive formalism.
Conclusion
A cover letter is created in order to draw attention to you and your resume, clarify information from your CV, and understand your intentions. Not all candidates write cover letters. And the very fact of having a cover letter distinguishes a resume with a cover letter from other resumes. However, if the cover letter is formulaic, it is unlikely to impress a recruiter and encourage him to take a closer look at your resume. Therefore, try to put in a little effort to make it original and draw attention to your person.
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