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How to write a great covering letter

Covering letters are very important. If you want to land that perfect job, your covering letter has to hit the reader in the eye

Remember, yours is only one of maybe hundreds and it needs to stand out.

Put yourself in the readers shoes. Think of what you would like see if you were faced with a pile of applications to wade through.

What you don’t want is a long letter. It needs to be short and to the point. It needs to sum up the reasons why you think you are suitable or the job.

A good tip is to look at the job description. Pick out a couple of main requirements and in your letter, mention them and how they are relevant to your experience.

Its best to break you letter into three parts.

    1. Introduction.

Tell the reader why you are writing, for which position, where you saw it advertised

It could be as simple as, “I would like to apply for the position of Personal Assistant to the MD that you are advertising in today’s Daily Echo”.

    2. Main Body

This can be made up of a couple of hard hitting, to-the-point paragraphs

For example, “For the past three years I have been the PA to the MD of Jones Hydraulics Ltd. my present company. My duties involve …………”

This takes the reader a few seconds to decide if it worth while reading your CV or throwing it onto the junk pile.

    3. Close

This part of the letter is simply a brief rounding off. Let them know when you will be available for interview, how you can be contacted and thank them for taking the time to read the letter.

Always remember you have less than thirty seconds to make an impression.

Try to make sure your letter only takes one page. There is no need to make it longer. All the relevant detailed stuff is in your CV.

If the intention of your cover letter is to inquire about available positions, then you need to let them know what roles you want to perform.

2. Main Body

3. Closing Statement

In ending your cover letter, communicate to them your enthusiasm for the position. Tell your employer how you can be reached if ever a further interview is needed - an address and contact phone number. End your cover letter on a positive note by thanking the recruiter for the time spent in reviewing your application. Your cover letter must be kept simple but packed with relevant information relating to the position.

By ensuring that these main elements of a good cover letter format are properly done, you can feel confident that the employer will consider you for the role.

Most of the resumes submitted will end up as trash. Don't let that happen to you. Learn the best methods on resume writing and how a properly made up cover letter cover letter can get you one step closer to being hired.