Importance of Cover Letter

IS COVER LETTER IMPORTANT?

www.rekruitin.com

Why Cover Letter is Important?

The cover letter is your first – and possibly, only – opportunity to engage a prospective employer .

It is a key marketing tool to convince the employer to take the time to look at your resume.

Think of it as “bait” that you are using to “hook” the reader. Attorneys or law firm recruiting coordinators are searching for a reason to dismiss your application. Don’t give it to them by writing a cover letter that is rambling and poorly written, or that contains typos or grammatical errors.

The primary purpose of your cover letter, when combined with your resume, is to get an interview.

The second purpose is to communicate “the intangibles” not readily apparent from the factual

content of your resume. It should be written in a tone that is direct, unassuming, and conveys enthusiasm.

www.rekruitin.com

1. Introductory Paragraph

2. Middle Paragraph

3. Concluding Paragraph

4. Format and Style

Recommended Cover Letter Outline

www.rekruitin.com

Introductory Paragraph

Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you writing?

Make a connection – why do you want to work for the employer? What appeals to you about the opportunity for which you are applying?

Summarize your strengths – highlight strengths, skills, and attributes on which you will elaborate in the middle paragraphs of your cover letter;

A well-written introductory paragraph can often stand alone as an abstract of your candidacy.

www.rekruitin.com

Examples:

1. As an Information Technology professional with high-level management experience in the IT industry, I learned that the best way to achieve success was to motivate the resources I had with well-defined objectives and empowerment.

2. I am writing to express my interest in the International Marketing position open at WYX. Pvt Ltd. My colleague ABC recommended that I contact you directly about this position.

3. I am writing to apply for the systems analyst position advertised in the ReKruiTIn.com. At your convenience, I'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss the position and my candidacy with you.

4. I'm writing to express my interest in the Editorial Assistant position listed on ReKruiTIn.com. Given my related experience and excellent capabilities I would appreciate your consideration for this position.

Middle Paragraph

Do not simply restate your resume; explain how the experiences listed in your resume demonstrate your qualifications;

Elaborate on related experiences, coursework, or activities to provide specific examples to demonstrate skills and attributes the employer is seeking;

These paragraphs should answer the following question: what can you bring to the position and employer?

www.rekruitin.com

Example:

1. You will note from the enclosed resume that many of my extracurricular and work experiences

involved the organization and promotion of events. I have had direct sales experience soliciting

potential customers for the We Three Caterers and have been successful in managing employees in

various capacities. Perhaps the most challenging and rewarding experience I have had to date was

working with Congressman Gradison and the Organizing committee of the United Way Literary

Festival. I am confident that I have the sales and managerial skills required to be a contributing

member of the PQR organization.

I am impressed by the reputation of your company and feel confident that my experience would

enable me to perform the job well. I would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you and discuss

my qualifications and to learn more about this job opportunity and your organization. I will call

you the week of August 6th to see if a meeting can be arranged. In the meantime, I may be reached at

(000) 123-0000 or [email protected].

Concluding Paragraph

Reiterate your interest in the employer and position;

Focus on next steps, such as requesting an interview.

Finish your letter 'Yours sincerely' then do not forget to sign it.

Write an enclosure line at the bottom.

Follow the closing with a comma, a space, and then your name and your contact information, if you're sending an email message. For example:

Best regards,

Your Name

Your LinkedIn Profile URL

Your Email Address

Your Phone Number

Format and Style

Include the date, employer name, and contact information at the top of the letter;

Begin your letter with a formal salutation, such as "Dear Mr. Edwards." If you are unsure of the contact person’s gender, type out the full name;

End your letter with "Sincerely," "Best Regards," or similar closing, with your name on the following line. Make sure to include your contact information;

Letter should not exceed one page, and four to five paragraphs are ideal. If your letter is too long or too dense you run the risk of it not being read;

Proofread – make sure your letter is free of grammatical and spelling errors;

Font should match your resume and sized at 11 or 12 points. Margins are typically 1-inch on all sides.

www.rekruitin.com

Points to be Noted

Avoid sounding pompous or using clichés and catch phrases, there are some statements that are used all the time such as 'I have excellent interpersonal skills', you want your letter to be unique.

Try to avoid using 'I' too much. A page of I did this and I did that is not appealing - it says to the employer that you haven't thought about them.

Do not use abbreviations.

Do not exceed four paragraphs of content.

To satisfy the skim reader, incorporate some industry sound bites and buzzwords.

Subtly flatter the company, for example 'you are the industry leader'

Check and then recheck your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Get someone else to read it through also.

If you are making a speculative application you should follow up the letter with a phone call, e-mail or office visit.

Paper clip your covering letter to your CV, one should never be sent out without the other.

www.rekruitin.com

Reach Us @:

For more details, Please log on to www.rekruitin.com

Customer Care: 8855041500

Career Guidance : 9823205144

Tech Support : 7758806112

Human Resource: 9823204144

You can also Find us on: