Cover letters are fading from importance with online recruitment taking priority today but knowing how to write the perfect cover letter is still a good skill to have locked in. What is a cover letter? An additional document that is shared with your job application, to express your interest in an opening at a company. There are many examples of cover letters available online but learning how to write a cover letter is necessary in order to be able to customize these templates to suit your own experience and hope for a new job.
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ResumeLab found that cover letters are still relevant to 83 percent of recruiters who are in the business of hiring. They also found that a good cover letter could boost the chances of getting an interview even when the resume did not impress 83 percent of the time. Coming from the source itself, this data might just be reliable. It is a good idea to learn how to write and add cover letters to your job applications just in case they do in fact boost your chances of getting a new job.
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter
Learning how to write a cover letter from scratch can be difficult if you have little understanding of what a cover letter is. The first step is to understand what a cover letter is and to look at cover letter examples to get a good sense of what is required or expected of these letters, what kind of information you can include, how long it can be, etc. Once you gain an understanding of these details, it is a practice that can help you achieve convincing results.
What Is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter refers to a single-page letter that you submit with your resume when applying for a job, in order to introduce yourself and express your interest in a role. Recruiters may or may not spare a glance at the letter when considering your application, but those who do will likely appreciate the effort and have a much better understanding of why you might be right for a particular role.
Especially in cases where you are considering a career switch or your years of experience do not match up to the expectations for an available role, a cover letter might be used to convey the specific skill sets and job knowledge that you have that equips you to take on the role. It even conveys your understanding of the role and your grasp of the written language and showcases your presence in a way that resumes are unable to capture. It is a very simple but significant way to converse with the recruiter even before being given the chance to represent yourself in an interview.
When job openings mention that submitting a cover letter is “optional” it is often better to go ahead and write one if you have the time to get it done. After a few practices, you should be able to develop your own technique on how to write the perfect cover letter so it shouldn’t take too long to write one for every application. The effort that is put into writing the letter is always looked at positively, highlighting your commitment to the role, so before you get started with your application, determine why you are writing the letter and what you hope to convey through it.
How to Write a Cover Letter
With hundreds of candidates applying for open positions each day, knowing how to write the perfect cover letter can be the factor that helps you stand out among your competition. You should be able to use the cover letter to highlight your top skills and experiences that make you right for the role, while also keeping the letter brief.
Be Specific—In Your Greeting and Your Introduction
Have a clear subject line if you think it’s necessary but most cover letters begin with the salutations directly. If you are emailing a company hoping for a position to open up then a good subject line might be helpful to convey your purpose with the email, but on job portals and company websites, it isn’t as necessary.
When you move to the salutations and greetings, something generic can be sufficient if you have no way to know who the letter is getting sent to, while emailing a company ID or applying on a job portal. In such cases, a direct address “To the recruiting team at [Company name]” or “To whom it may concern” may be sufficient to get your cover letter started. If the company you are applying to is a relatively small one then it is quite likely there are one or two individuals in charge of recruiting and a quick LinkedIn search may help you find them. You can always check for larger companies as well, and address it to the manager or leader of the recruitment team at a company.
After your greeting, provide a brief line or two introducing yourself and indicating the position you are applying for. The introductory line must be very clear on what position this letter is for and it is ideal to use the same job title that was used in the job posting to make it easier for the receiver to know the position you are interested in. If you’d like, you can even mention where you came across the job posting, whether on LinkedIn, Indeed, or the company website. Even if you are applying preemptively and there isn’t a job posting yet, it is alright to mention the job title and that you are sending the email for consideration whenever a job opens up in that particular field.
Explain Your Background Clearly—How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter
What is a cover letter if not a way to provide a recruiter with a close look at your experiences and convince them about what makes you eligible for the role? A cover letter has to be detailed in highlighting your most prominent experiences that are relevant to the position you want to apply for. While you might have a long career of successful roles, your resume should be sufficient to detail that—the cover letter needs to expand on the top roles and skills that you think make you right for the role.
To understand what skills the company is looking for, pay attention to the job description carefully in the job posting and understand what the role requires Recruiters are often very clear about what skills are necessary and what are “preferred” and if you can find a way to meet both brackets, you will be better off than other competing candidates. If they have niche clients or want someone with experience in a specific category that you’re familiar with. Use the cover letter to mention when you worked with that specific client type and in what capacity.
The experiences you chose to highlight here should be recent ones so you can indicate you have up-to-date industry experience rather than something that happened at the beginning of your career. Try and complete this exploration of your background in a brief paragraph or two as the recruiter will not have time to read through every single detail of your past. While learning how to write the perfect cover letter, remember that the reader will unlikely be able to spend more than a minute or two reading through what you have to say—make it count.
Concluding Your Cover Letter—How to End Your Cover Letter Without Rambling
Now that you have spoken about your experiences, your cover letter will have to conclude with a reiteration of your interest in working for the company. Simple phrases such as “I would love to work with the company” or “I am very interested in the job” are overused and the receiver will already be aware of this interest. Instead, use a sentence or two to express just why the company appeals to you.
You can always refer to the company website and gather an understanding of the company values, the types of initiatives they take up, reviews of their company from ex-employees, etc. and mention that you closely associate yourself with similar values or want to help the company build on those qualities yourself. This will indicate that you have done your research and that you’re truly interested in the position and not just applying passively to everything you see. Companies appreciate the initiative and using your cover letter to highlight this even without saying “I take action” is a point in your favor. Finally thank the receiver for considering you for the position and conclude the letter just as you would any other cover letter, with closing words and your name. You could additionally link to your website or online portfolio as well, in case you are applying online. You should now know how to end your cover letter as well so let’s look at some cover letter examples to drive the point home.
Cover Letter Examples
The cover letter template should now be clear to you but looking at some samples of how to put these elements together never hurts. Let’s look at some cover letter examples for different job roles.
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter for a Marketing Role
Dear [Name of hiring manager],
I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Officer role that is available at [Company name]. I came across the job posting on [Platform] and looking at the application requirements, I believe I would be a great fit for the role after 4 years of working in the same position at [Your previous company].
I have worked in similar roles for the last 7 years, the last 4 at my current company, and I have gained significant insight into the industry through these years. I have been able to increase sales numbers by 10 percent for my team overall, as well as develop a customer engagement initiative that boosted customer retention by 20 percent. While I couldn’t have done it without my team, I do take great pride in being the driving force behind the initiative and I believe I could bring similar results to [Company] if given a chance.
I see that creativity and innovation are two driving forces at [Company] and I strongly resonate with these values myself, having modeled my approach to work over developing the next big strategy that can redefine marketing at my company. I hope I have the chance to prove myself to the company soon. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to any opportunity I might receive to further interact with the team.
Regards,
[Your Name]
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter for a Software Developer Role
Dear Sir/Ma’am,
I am writing to express my interest in the Software Developer position at [Company name], as advertised on the company website. With a solid background in full-stack development and a passion for solving complex problems, I am eager to contribute my skills to your innovative team.
In my previous role at [Previous company], I successfully developed and deployed scalable web applications, contributing to a 30 percent increase in overall system efficiency. My proficiency in languages such as Java, Python, and JavaScript, combined with my commitment to clean and maintainable code, positions me as a strong candidate for this role.
Thank you for considering my application. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute my technical skills to [Company name]’s cutting-edge projects.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
How to Write a Cover Letter for an HR Manager Position
Greetings Mr. [Name of the hiring manager],
I am [Name] an HR professional with 12 years of experience in the field, currently employed at [Company]. I am writing this letter to express my interest in the HR Manager position at [Company] as advertised on [where you found the posting]. I have always dreamed of working at [Company] and I strongly believe that I have grown in my career enough to seek a job at your renowned organization.
In my previous role, I was part of a dynamic team that focused on the full range of HR responsibilities from employee relations to talent acquisition, and our efforts have resulted in employee engagement being at an all-time high at the company. In my previous role, I successfully implemented employee engagement initiatives that led to a 15 percent increase in staff retention as well. My expertise in managing recruitment processes, conducting effective performance reviews, and fostering a positive work culture aligns well with the requirements outlined in your job description. My degree in Psychology has made me sensitive to the struggles of employees and has also instilled in me the delicate approach required to handle any signs of conflict management at work and I have been able to resolve any issue that came in the way of my HR responsibilities.
I believe that I will be able to grow as an individual as well as in my career if I can learn from the “people-first” approach that the company represents. I hope my application will be considered for the position and that I am allowed to bring my HR leadership skills to support the growth and success of [Company Name].
Warm Regards,
[Your name]
It might be time to sit down and review the jobs available online and practice how to write the perfect cover letter to pair with your job application next time. These cover letters can truly change the outcome of your application so give it the seriousness it deserves while applying for your next job role.