All about Writing a Cover Letter

Cover letter is required for most of the jobs these days and you need to send it along with your job application when you apply for any job. It is the promotional document to promote you. It is a short document, generally a single page that will discuss all your job specific skills and qualifications in a personal tone. Although, it is the summary of your resume, it must include your details that are not discussed in your resume. Today, most employers will demand a cover letter along with your application. Going through your cover letter, they will get complete idea of your professional background. If they find it appealing, they will go through your application. If the details in the cover letter are not up to the mark, they don’t need to go through the application and can directly reject the application. Now, as you know the importance of your job letter, it is important to make it effective and job winning. There are many points to consider when you are writing such job letters. No matter you write an accounting cover letter or an art resume cover letter, the basic format of the letter will remain same. Follow the same format for drafting the cover letter for different job positions.

Cover Letter

The main components of a perfect cover letter are name and address of the sender, name and contact details of the receiver, letter body and closing of the letter.

The letter body is divided in three parts – opening, main letter body and the closing. These are the short paragraphs that include the corresponding information of the applicant.

The first paragraph is the opening of your letter. In this part, you can tell the employer how you came to know about the position and why you are suitable for the job.

Second paragraph is the main letter body. This section will discuss the skills and qualifications of the candidate that makes him/ her suitable for the job. You can also discuss your major job relevant accomplishments that can help you get attention from the employer. Make sure that the skills you list are required for working in the applied position. When listing your qualifications, try to list your academic achievements that are related to your prospective work profile. Any certification or internship done in the related field can add weight to your letter.

Third paragraph is the closing of your letter. In this part, thank the employer for going through your letter and expect a reply from them. Tell the employer that you are eager to discuss further details with them during the personal interview.

Use appropriate salutations at the end. Sign the cover letter. Provide the list of enclosed documents.

Now you know the basics of writing a job letter, we will see the template for it. You can use this template for designing your job letter. Just edit the details and fill in your appropriate information.

Sample Template

Name of Applicant
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Contact Number
E-Mail ID
Date: DD/MM/YY

Name of Recipient
Job Title
Company Name
Address

Subject:

Dear Mr./ Mrs. [Name of the reader]

First Paragraph
[Introduction of the applicant and the reason why you are suitable for the job]

Second Paragraph
[Discuss the job relevant skills and related qualifications in detail. Also state your major accomplishments]

Third Paragraph
[Closing of the job letter]

Sincerely
Name of the Applicant

Enclosure: [List of enclosed documents]

You can edit this sample and fill in your details in place of the square brackets to design your own cover letter for different jobs.