What is a cover letter for job application ?
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What is a cover letter?
The first thing most job seeker asks What is a cover letter and why this is so important to get interview calls? Is cover letter necessary ?
Don't, worry here we will introduce you to what exactly a cover letter is and how to write the perfect cover letter.
A cover letter is a letter of introduction that outlines a candidate's skills, work experience, and interests. A cover letter is attached alongside the resume or curriculum vitae of the candidate. It is a condensed document that demonstrates important information in a clear way with the best communication.
A good cover letter created with the best template can be leveraged to achieve the desired job. Since a cover letter is basically a job application letter it should be professional, simple, and sleek. A good cover letter demonstrates who you are as a professional and sets you apart from other applicants. A good cover letter should be succinct, highlighting your good and clear communication skills which is what recruiters are looking for in a candidate.
What to mention in a cover letter?
One of the most required traits recruiters are looking for in a candidate are interpersonal skills, professionalism, and enthusiasm. All these traits represent confidence.
A good cover letter boosts self-confidence professionally which is pivotal for career growth and success. A confident employee is self-motivated, have a positive contribution in the workplace, and can directly contribute to brand perception.
A good cover letter is a brilliant way of boosting one's self-confidence highlighting one's enthusiasm, competitiveness, readiness, methods to overcome challenges and managing time. The most vital fact is that it allows showing your creative writing skills which are important for creative and administrative roles.
A good cover letter content must impress the recruiters. It should be clean, concise, and comfortable to read. Sentences should be short and to the point. A good cover letter should be more focused and relevant. To create a good, effective and an eye-catchy cover letter you should also choose a good template. Instaresume provides the best free cover letter templates to create an effective cover letter.
Instaresume.io provides you with the best templates for cover letters
Cover Letter Format
A good cover letter should not be more than 1 page and within this 1 page, you should include the following 4 parts:
- Address: In this part clearly mention your current address.
- Contact information: In the Header part, mention your contact information
- Opening Paragraph: Grab the reader's attention with 2–3 of your top achievements Then explain, why you're a good match for the company.
- Closing: Formal closing should be there.
Types of Cover Letters
A good cover letter should be factual, brief and without any generalizations. A typed, one-page and error-free cover letter is expected. Unnecessary personal information should be avoided. The four types of cover letters are:
- Application Cover Letter: An application cover letter is written to apply for a certain job focusing on the relevant skills. It is sent to the recruitment professional or hiring manager along with the resume as part of the application package.
- Application Cover Letter: An application cover letter is written to apply for a certain job focusing on the relevant skills . It is sent to the recruitment professional or hiring manager along with the resume as part of the application package.
- Referral Cover Letter: A referral cover letter mentions the name of the person who referred the respective candidate to the job. This can quickly gain the attention of the employer, especially if they're known by the recipient.
- Networking Cover Letter: A networking cover letter's purpose is to put the candidate out there by asking for job search advice or open position referrals.
- Prospecting Cover Letter: A prospecting cover letter is one the candidate would send to a company he/she would like to work for. Maybe their culture seems like a perfect match for what the candidate is seeking, or they are top-rated by employees and have glowing reviews.
A good cover letter must include your areas of interest, professional goals, knowledge, skills you've gained over the years, achievements, passions, and aspirations.
Sample cover letter created on Instaresume.io
Bonus
Understand the company's business model clearl.
The candidate should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the company's history, their area of business and the work they do, for an employer, reflecting their level of interest in the role. Someone who has clearly made an effort to find out more about a company and referenced this in their cover letter will be viewed by the recruiter as a more committed candidate than one who has not.
DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself)
The cover letter should be tailored to the job and repetition should be avoided. The same cover letter should not be used for different company positions. It should be tailored to the role the candidate is applying for and in line with the job description and the company's personality. By tailoring your resume to the job description, you signal to the hiring manager that your experience is relevant and that you're the right person for the job.
The cover letter should be double-checked and modified every time before sending it out. A mistake in the cover letter suggests to the hiring manager that the candidate lacks attention to detail which gives a wrong impression. Therefore, it's important to make sure to check it over before submitting it.
A well-written cover letter is an opportunity to show the reader that the candidate embodies the key attributes necessary for the role, which is why it is important to invest the necessary time and effort into writing a cover letter.
What recruiter sees in a cover letter?
Recruiters look for problem-solving, Teamwork skills, Leadership skills, writing, and communication skills, Observe and draw conclusions from any data. While soft skills, as well as academic abilities, are critical for securing an interview, a cover letter should also demonstrate the experience in relation to the job description to the hiring manager.
Conclusion
As you have read whole article, you can now clearly understand the need of cover letter, It should always be attached along with your resume while applying for job. Also, Please do follow DRY principle, try on to provide something unique in your cover letter with respect to Job/Company you are applying for. At last, We can say all the best with your job search. Feel free to share your job hunting experience in comment section. 😊