Knowing how to write a cover letter will make the difference between landing a job interview or not.
Although not all job postings require a cover letter, sending one is what will actually make the recruiter or hiring manager open and view your job application.
You might have an impressive resume but if you are just sending a dry email, without selling yourself because you don’t know how to write a cover letter, chances are that nobody will do the effort to open the attached resume.
A good trick to increase your chances of your application being viewed is write the cover letter in the body of the email.
This way, as soon as the recruiter or hiring manager opens your email, they will immediately be able to read your cover letter, without having to open or download any attachment.
How to write a cover letter that lands you the job interview
How to write a cover letter: things to include
Before starting to write a cover letter, you should always read the job description twice and make sure that your experience and skills match the job requirements.
This will save yourself some time and, as well, the recruiter’s time.
Knowing the name of the recruiter or hiring manager will allow you to address your email directly to them.
If you want to maximize your chances of getting called in for a job interview, this is a great step to take. You can easily do this research on LinkedIn, looking for the list of employees of that particular company.
You should start writing your cover letter by introducing yourself and mentioning your current or most recent position, which should be related to the position you are applying to unless you are changing careers, in which case you should specify your intent.
This should be followed by stating your interest in the job opening and continue by showing how you fit the requirements, by mentioning some of your most relevant past experiences that can translate to the job you are applying to.
To make sure that your cover letter is appealing to the person reading it, you should always include keywords that they have used in the job description.
Always customize your cover letter, as this will allow the recruiter to asses if you have the right profile for the job, without wasting a lot of time.
Keep in mind that some job openings receive thousands of applications, so you need to make sure that your application stands out.
After stating how you fit the job requirements, express your interest in the job again and by inviting the reader to open your Resume to find out more information about your professional work experience.
Conclude by saying that you would like to discuss this further in a job interview and always thank them for their time in considering your application.
Related:
- Reasons why you are not landing any job interviews
- How to write a Resume
- Things to do before submitting your CV
- How to write a Thank You Email after a Job Interview
- How to answer the most common Job Interview Questions
- Things to never do in a Job Interview
- How to ace any Job Interview
How to write a cover letter: how long a cover letter should be
Not all cover letters are the same and it usually depends on the role advertised and the level of seniority, however in most cases, recruiters and hiring managers always appreciate a short and straight to the point cover letters because, as mentioned above, sometimes they need to screen thousands of applications.
Avoid including things that are not relevant.
A typical cover letter should have the following structure:
- To whom is the application addressed to (hiring manager or recruiter’s name)
- Your name and current or most recent position
- Your interest in the job
- How you fit the job requirements (past experience and skills)
- Your interest in the job again
- Call to action
- Thank you
If you are struggling with your resume as well, below is a resume template that you can purchase in order to create a modern-looking job application that will surely land you a job interview. It includes 1, 2, and 3 pages templates, along with a cover letter template.
Besides it is fully customizable in terms of colors, fonts, and sizes and has detailed instructions on how to write your resume and cover letter. It is ATS compliant and written by a professional resume writer.
With your purchase, you will also get a 50+ page “Guide to Landing the Job” bonus.
Click on the image below to check it out.
Really liked this post. I like that you start with the Why you should have a cover letter which kept in interested in continuing to read.
Thank you Hector. I’m happy you found this article useful.
Great article, I shared on FaceBook, I would appreciate it if you would share my site on your facebook as well. thanks.
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s
both equally educative and interesting, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head.
The issue is something too few people are speaking intelligently about.
I’m very happy that I stumbled across this during my search for something concerning
this.
Happy to read that you found this article on how to write a cover letter both educative and interesting:). Thanks for the comment
I’m a writer but not a cover letter writer. And so, it is the most difficult letter I always force myself to do. That said, I am also a letter writer, which means I take email writing as just that: letters. I find they’re much easier to write than cover letters.
I am not sure about any of the advice you give but thank you for your articles.
You’ve submitted a resume, you have a LinkedIn profile. The reason for a cover letter is to clearly connect the dots between your experience and interests and the particular role you’re applying for. Don’t leave anything to chance (“they’ll see that I have the experience they want”). Instead, show them that you understand the top challenges of the role and explain how you can meet those challenges. Give examples from your experience that go beyond your resume and LinkedIn profile. The cover letter should add the “color” and and show your enthusiasm not only for the particular job but for the hiring company and its mission.