The question is simple how do you write a cover letter that will open doors for you? What are the simple principles to apply, in order to avoid mistakes that will have your cover letter rejected? To start with, we will review five simple rules to ensure that your cover letter leaves the recruiter excited about meeting with you.
- First, your letter must be grammatically correct and error free. If you are not confident enough about your writing, consider having someone to read and edit the document for you.
- Keep your letter precise and to the point. If your letter is printed, it should be one page max. If you are sending as an email, make sure your cover letter is readable with minimal scrolling.
- Briefly, include examples of your qualifications in your cover letter. You can write your cover letter in paragraphs or bulleted format, but either way, highlight your achievements and credentials. This will encourage the reader to review your CV for the greater details. The best way to go about this, is call about two or three things that you have done professionally to catch their attention and make them want to know more about you. Make sure you customize the letter to highlight the achievements most relevant for each position.
- You letter should address a specific person. Whenever possible, do some research and find out the person’s name who will be reading your cover letter. This is a minor detail, and some recruiters actually do not care but it can distinguish you from your competition all the same. More importantly, do not just send a letter that has not been customized to fit the requirements of the company you are applying.
- Your letter should end with a call to action. When you conclude your letter, be sure to ask for a meeting. It is obvious that you want an interview when you submit a cover letter and a CV; but it is worth remembering that job hunting is actually helped along with a proactive approach. This means that at every point of the application process you should seek to move yourself along the next stage of consideration.
Below are three examples of cover letters for various positions and a brief feedback on the outstanding parts of the letters:
Cover Letter Example 1: Entry Level
This is usually for fresh graduates or beginners in a particular field. Normally these candidates do not have plenty of experience in that particular field; hence calls for creativity in writing such a cover letter.
| Dear Mr. Wondwossen,
I am writing in response to your advertisement on ethiojobs.net for an assistant accountant position. Please accept my enclosed/attached CV for consideration. As an Auditors’ Guild Certificate holder and a student at CPU Accounting College, I have the formal training necessary for this position. Additionally, with two years of experience in retail sales, I have excellent customer service skills that can translate well to clientele relations. After you have reviewed my CV, I hope to meet with you to discuss how I can be beneficial to your team. I look forward to hearing from you to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience.
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Analysis: Nice concise approach for an entry-level candidate. The candidate doesn’t have years of accounting experience to point to, so the candidates highlights her/his training and how other experiences have helped prepare for the job.
Cover Letter Example 2: Professional
This is a cover letter usually written by a candidate with some experience in the field and either seeking to change careers or move up the ladder.
| Dear Ms. Eyerusalem,
This is in response to your advertisement in the local newspaper, for the Chief Accountant Position. As a Senior Accountant, I offer a proven ability to accurately process invoices, payments, reimbursements, and tax reports. I quickly learn and adapt to different software changes and updates, and consequently, help my team members resolve issues and problems they are having with data input and processing. Examples of my accomplishments include: • Handled biweekly accounts payable processing of checks and payments; reconciled payments made to accounts payable and addressed any discrepancies that arose. • Created a spreadsheet that listed clients to expedite processing of expense reports.
• Uploaded and reconciled monthly bills for our 15 branches in Addis Ababa and Hawassa; total billing amounts were coded for various departments and branches as required. Confident I will prove valuable to your company, I respectfully submit my CV for your review. I would also like to request a personal meeting to discuss your upcoming goals and how I can help you achieve them. I will make myself available at your convenience and look forward to your call. Thank you for your consideration.
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Analysis:
For an experienced candidate, a little more of details is expected. However, the candidate gets straight to the point, and uses bullet points to highlight the key experiences with the position responsibilities listed in the job description.
Cover Letter Example 3: Managerial Position
This is a cover letter for a candidate seeking a managerial or a leadership position.
| Dear Mrs. Kidist,
As a Human Resources Manager with a strong customer service background, I offer expertise in employee relations, benefits administration, and generalist duties. I have made significant contributions in succession planning and workforce engagement as well as ensuring compliance with employment and labor requirements. I am also known for my ability to help identify and implement key technology and process improvements. Other examples of my work include: • Created positive employee engagement for 2,000+ personnel at Company XYZ through proactive communications, prompt issue resolution, and fair/equitable treatment. • Proved instrumental in the deployment of an E-recruitment system; defined policies, procedures, and communication planning for the project. Confident I will make a positive impact on your organization, I respectfully submit my CV for your review. I would also like to request a personal meeting to discuss your goals for this position and my potential contributions. I will be available at your convenience and look forward to your call to arrange a time. Thank you for your consideration.
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Analysis:
This Cover Letter highlights the applicant’s relevant accomplishments as a leader and a manager. It goes beyond stating the familiarity with the required job duties and emphasizes results in key projects.
In conclusion, remember that you don’t want to copy and paste the whole resume into the cover letter. Think about the key selling points that you want to feature prominently. The goal is to make them excited to learn more about you.
Source : Ethiojobs