Cover Letter (motivation)

The cover letter is an incredibly important complement to your resume, which is less or more predictable in form and content. The cover letter is supposed to be giving you a much better opportunity to express your strong sides convincingly, aggressively and in a creative way.

 

     I.               How to write a CL?

1.         Contact information / upper right side, 6-10 rows beneath the beginning of the page/

• In this field write your name in bold or bigger font
• Write your full address and P.O. box

§         List your tel. numbers with an international dialing code

§         Under the address write the date on which the letter is sent

 

2.         Company’s address /write it on the row below the date, on the left side/

·           This is the address of the organization you are to send your cover letter. It starts with the name of the receiver, his or her position, the name of the company and full postal address.

·           It’s better to address your letter to a specific person. However, if you don’t know to whom you are writing, address it to a person on a specific position (e.g. Human Resource Manager, Personnel Manager, etc.)

 

3.         A form of address /a row below the company’s address/

·           Here is the well-known “Dear Sirs …”where on the “…” you should write the name of the receiver.

 

4.            Main part /2 rows below the address/

·           First paragraph – just write the reason for your letter, how did you learn about the job opportunity in this company (from a friend, an ad on the web, etc.) and the name of the position you are applying for.

·           Main text – usually it contains two paragraphs. In the first one, include more information about your skills and qualities, in the second write why you are interested in the position, the company, the products and services it offers. It’s also necessary to say here how you intend to contribute to the organization. Here is your opportunity to “sell” your skills, qualities, experience and achievements. If you’re still studying or you have just graduated from university, explain why your education has given you the necessary base and qualification for this position. If you already have some considerable experience and practice, highlight your strong sides and achievements. If necessary, add more details and explanations that are missing from you resume. Write what you can do for the organization, rather than what it can offer you.

·           Conclusion: here is the place to say you’ll contact them in a few days to check whether they have received your letter and resume. Be willing to meet them on a personal interview in an appropriate time for them. At the end of the letter, write something that will draw their interest and instigate an answer. Add a “thank you” for the spared time and interest.

 

5.            And finally “Best regards (your first and family name)” /2 row below the main part/. If you are sending the letter via mail, write your name instead of typing it, but do not sign!

     II.                  Recommendations

 

·     The cover letter should highlight how your skills and experience match with the requirements of the potential employer. Your cover letter is the chance to convince the organization of acting for your benefit. This can happen only if your CL contains a clear reason why the company should hire you.

·     Try to give additional information (which is not written in you resume). Be creative and expand the information about your achievements, ambitions and your competitive advantage for the position but do not lie (especially if the information you provide is easy to check).

·     Avoid using phrases like “incredible motivation”, “excellent communication skills”, “analytic approach in problem solving”. When many people use them, they become meaningless.

·     Write different CLs for the different positions and companies. Learn as much as possible about the organization. Thus you’ll be really convincing when presenting your skills and knowledge with which you are about to contribute to the company’s success.

·     Format the text carefully. It should be easy to read, not too small or compressed. Use a common font (Arial, Times New Roman) and size (11-12)

·     The cover letter should not be too long, one page is enough, because the employers will not spend more than a minute reading it. Remember: quality instead of quantity!

·     Take a look at our recommendations in the resume. They are totally useful and applicable here.

 

 More information and cover letter samples can be found in useful links. However, keep in mind that you CL should be special, individual and original. If you have any questions or recommendations, do not hesitate to contact us and we’ll do our best answer them. Hope we have managed to help you. Good Luck!!!