What is a cover letter?
Cover letters are also called application letters or a covering letter. This letter is generally one page long and has every detail about the job candidate’s work history , why the person wants to apply for the job and it also has a note of the professional skills that the person has. People might think that cover letters were only used in olden times but you are wrong, cover letters are still necessary while applying for the job. It works as a kind of personal introduction tool and helps you sell your resumes or Cv whatever you call it. Cover letters give the candidate to explain themselves why they are the best fit for the job , why they should hire them. Now you might think, anyway these questions are asked in interviews and we can explain it there only but people tend to forget that to reach the interview table , one must pass the primary screening of the job applications and once they are done with it , then they obviously get the chance to appear for the interview. So if you already mention why you are fit for the job along with your qualifications, skills, and interests, you succeed in impressing the interviewers way before getting called for an interview.
Statistics -
86 percent of hiring managers say that the cover letters are extremely helpful in evaluating the job candidates with ease and perfection. In a survey almost 10 managers said that they receive electronic cover letters along with resumes over mails. According to 83 percent of hiring managers, cover letters increase the chances of getting an interview. 53 percent of employers prefer candidates who provide them with cover letters.
Types of cover letter -
- Application cover letter - these are the most common forms of cover letter used with a CV while applying for a job. This letter is drafted according to the needs of the organisation, the job descriptions and the skills required for that particular position.
- Prospecting cover letter - this kind of cover letter is written when a job candidate wants to enquire about any openings in a company of choice. This does not come from a response according to a job posting. These cover letters are meant to inquire about open positions in general such that they can apply for a job.
- Networking cover letter - these kinds of cover letters are very short and casual. These cover letters are not sent directly to any organisation. It is sent to former friends, colleagues, mentors or people presently working in that company as a job seeker such that they can help them with getting an interview and minimise their job search.
- “Non cover letter” cover letter - these kinds of cover letters are generally sent over emails when they do not ask for a proper cover letter. These cover letters are very short and crisp and contain the message they wanna convey along with their CV.
What to write in a cover letter ?
- Separate cover letter for separate jobs - yes, you need to write the cover letter according to the needs of the organisation, therefore, write separate cper letters for separate jobs and separate job descriptions. Do not ever forward a same cover letter over and over again to different organisations because the details would vary according to the job requirements and needs of the organisation. Create a custom letter d=for each job to show your personal interest in the particular job and explain skills and work experience accordingly.
- Try a template - if you are new to writing cover letters then go ahead and try some basic cover letter templates , these templates will guide you what to write and what not to write and how can you put right things in right place such that the letter looks very professional and does not seem that you are a newbie in this field. So whenever you are confused, go ahead and take help from a template , it will guide your way through this in an efficient manner.
- Address it to the hiring manager - instead of saying “to whomsoever it may concern '' add a more of personalised touch to it. Include the hiring manager's name with a proper title of Mr. Mrs. or Ms. and if you are not sure about whether the person is married or not in case of females, skip the title and name and go for madame and sir. If you think that the company is casual then you can include a title along with the name and you are good to go. Adding a personalised touch to something always works best because it thn shows that the letter is specifically meant for them and no one else.
Good phrases work best - add a very good phrase which matches you and your abilities to impress the hiring manager. People tend to get impressed by these little extras. This makes it look better and portrays you as a confident professional in every term. It can be about the job position you are applying for, it can also be about the past work experience or some of the achievements you have. It should be great enough to impress your hiring manager. Make sure to go with the best possibility.
- A step beyond your CV - a cv does not have every little detail of your achievement . therefore you can use your cover letter space to accomplish this. You can mention situations where you worked under pressure and managed to get through that with ease. Yes that would be amazing because the manager gets to see your practical skills, like how you handle the situation with ease. Mention every detail about your accomplishment related to the job and yes you are good to go. Make use of any opportunity to prove that you are best fit for the job but do not boast off very much.
- Work experience matters - instead of writing too much about your educational background, write about other stuff like your work experience. They can see your educational background in the resume.
- Testimonials - testimonials are a great way to show the hiring manager what others think about you and your working experience. Therefore it gives an impression of how you work and how you are as a person. Therefore, it increases your impression on the hiring manager.
- Short and strong - do not exceed the length of the cover letter, keep it in a polite tone and the tone should be very professional and strong. Make sure to use amazing opening lines as well as closing lines for the cover letter to create a strong impression of yourself.
Therefore make sure to draft the best cover letter to apply for a position such that this well drafted cover letter helps you get an interview and you finally get the job position the moment you crack the interview. We often say that old is gold, these cover letters are old ways but they are still effective, one must just draft it in a professional and correct manner, that’s it!
https://www.jobscan.co/cover-letter-formats
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-31-tips-you-need-to-know