A good cover letter will be placed in a pile marked ‘have potential.’ A great one will get you in for an interview as soon as possible. There are some elements that you should include in this crucial document to ensure it is taken seriously.
The Purpose of Your Cover Letter
A cover letter is only necessary for 3 scenarios:
- If the job you are applying for requires it.
- If you are applying directly to the employer you want to work with and know their name.
- If you were referred for the job by someone else.
Since a cover letter has to be as brief as possible, you need to be picky when it comes to its contents. Generally, it should:
✔ Introduce you to the employer or the hiring manager.
✔ Ensure them that you have the skills they are looking for.
✔ Prove your dedication to the company and its values.
✔ Explain information that you did not mention in the resume.
✔ Assure employers you are willing to take on the position as soon as possible.
Additionally, contrary to popular belief, you do not have to fit your entire career and life experiences into your cover letter. The contents should be a curated selection of incidents and stories from your career that tells employers how you can add value to their company.
Ideal Length
The worst thing you can do is ramble about your achievements in your cover letter. At most, the length should be more than 2/3rd of a page and should contain no more than 2 to 3 paragraphs of essential info.
If the content exceeds a page or is too long, the employer may think that you don’t have the focus required for the job. However, if the word count is too low, chances are that the cover letter is not as persuasive as it needs to be.
Additionally, unless your job experience covers 10 or more years, make sure that the letter is brief enough to remain on a single page.
Essential Elements
While the narrative of the cover letter is important, give the final draft a read through:
✔ The name of the job you are applying for.
✔ Your full name and contact details.
✔ Your email address and phone number.
✔ A list of job-relevant skills.
✔ A summary of why you should be chosen to fill the position.
✔ A call to action at the end thanking them for reading your cover letter and asking them to contact you for an interview at their earliest convenience.
While writing a cover letter can be a time-consuming process, the effort is worth it if it means you can convince employers why you are a good match. Even though job experience matters, how you display your skills on paper also determines your chances of success. Create an account on APN Consulting, Inc. today and get access to relevant jobs today.