Your resume is an invitation, and the cover letter is the calling card. It is a letter of introduction that represents your personality, regardless of how businesslike the language used in it may be.
The cover letter is the one thing that immediately differentiates you from the next candidate who has followed a career path that is eerily similar to the one you have followed. It is the only thing the hiring manager will see reading through a pile of job applications!
Every single resume needs to be accompanied by a cover letter when it’s sent in. However, in contrast to a calling card, they do not come in a single standard size.
You don’t want to be the kind of person who quickly composes a number of generic cover letters and distributes them to the top ten jobs currently available in your industry without doing much research on the specific position for which he is applying.
There is value in referring to samples, but solely for the format. Both the tone and the content ought to be reflective of your current circumstance. It is much simpler to begin writing your own cover letter when you have a few examples to refer to, regardless of the reason why you need to do so.
There are some instances when cover letters are not attached to job applications. They may be for cold contact, letters promoting a job, letters requesting a referral, letters inquiring about openings that haven’t been advertised, letters reaching out to networks, and other similar purposes.
Cover Letters to Apply for a Job
You will have the opportunity to provide additional information in the cover letter that wasn’t included in your resume when you apply for a job. In addition, it provides the hiring manager with a quick indication of the position for which you are applying.
It’s possible that the person in charge of hiring won’t even read the cover letter; research shows that almost 90 percent of hiring managers don’t. However, the irony is that if you have a letter to introduce yourself, you typically have an advantage over the subsequent applicant who did not send or email one.
When an employer is looking for a way to reduce the number of applications they have on hand, they will most likely read through a number of cover letters to determine which ones contain obvious errors that warrant an immediate denial of employment consideration.
A letter that is well-structured will keep you from ending up in the trash can. And the first line you said is the most important part. Even if the second paragraph of your letter stays the same, the letter’s first line should make it clear to the employer right away that the letter was written specifically for them.
Here’s an example:
Jane Doe
1 ABC Avenue
D-town, MA 12345
123-456-7890
janedoe@email.com
December 31, 2019
John Smith
Director, HR
ABC Health & Body
1A Business Street
XYZ City, PA 98765
Sub: Application for the Position of Social Media Manager
Dear Mr. Smith,
I’ve been working as a social media assistant for businesses for about a year now, and ever since I started doing that, I’ve had the desire to work for a holistic fitness company like yours because I’ve always had a strong personal interest in fitness.
I was browsing your careers page when I saw an opening for a Social Media Manager, and I became immediately interested. As a result, I am writing to apply for the position. I believe it is time for me to advance to the position of Social Media Manager.
You state in the job description that you are looking to fill it with someone knowledgeable about current online and social media trends. During the time that I was in charge of managing the accounts for ABC Multigym, one of my responsibilities that I had was to increase the number of followers on Instagram.
Within six months, I was able to boost engagement by three hundred percent and increase our number of followers by more than forty percent. I am currently working on building relationships with some of the most influential people in the field of health and fitness. I am pleased with my accomplishments in this field and am confident that I would be an asset to your company thanks to the social media marketing and people skills I possess.
I’ve attached my resume so that you can better understand my previous work experience and my educational background. I am appreciative of both your time and your consideration.
If you are interested in learning more about me, you are welcome to contact me via phone at 123-778-456 or via email. I am looking forward to communicating with you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Your signature (if hard copy)
Jane Doe
Email Cover Letter
The absence of a formal format is the sole characteristic that differentiates a cover letter sent via email from one printed on traditional paper. There is no requirement for you to write addresses in the letter. After you have the subject line written down, you are ready to begin writing.
Use the person’s name when addressing them if you are familiar with that name. If not, “Dear Hiring Manager” is also an acceptable alternative. The cover letter sent via email should be brief and to the point, just like the cover letter sent via traditional mail. There is also no requirement for a complete signature to be included in an email.
Cover Letter with Referral
If you have a professional connection with the company you want to work for, mentioning their name in your application can be an effective way to increase your chances of getting hired. The vast majority of businesses should prioritize hiring candidates through word of mouth because it is more efficient and less expensive.
Make sure to include your contact’s name in the cover letter after you’ve asked them for a referral. Either ensure that you copy them on the email you send or physically hand them a copy of the letter. Be sure to follow up with a note of gratitude at a later time.
December 31, 2019
John Smith
Director, HR
ABC Health & Body
1A Business Street
XYZ City, PA 98765
Sub: Application for the Position of Social Media Manager
Dear Mr Smith,
This letter is in response to the advertisement for the position of Social Media Manager at ABC Health & Body. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know one of the fitness trainers who work for your company, and her name is Jane Doe.
Jane and I were students at the ABC Fitness School together, and ever since then, we have maintained a professional relationship with one another.
She informed me about the open position, and she suggested I get in touch with you.
Since I started working as a Social Media Assistant for fitness companies three years ago, I have found the experience to be both challenging and rewarding. I am grateful for the opportunity. During my second year, I decided to take on the challenge of expanding both my engagement and my following on Instagram.
Within a period of six months, I was able to bring my engagement rate up by three hundred percent and my follower count by more than forty percent. I believe that the fact that I come from a background in fitness as well as having a strong interest in the latest trends in the internet and social media, has made it possible for me to deliver results in this specialized market.
It would mean a lot to me if you could spare some time to talk to me about what I could bring to the table as your candidate for the position at ABC Health & Body. I am appreciative of both your time and your consideration. For further information about me, kindly refer to the resume that I have attached.
Sincerely,
Emily Blank
Letters for Inquiry and Networking Purposes
What kind of a letter do you send to an employer to let them know that you are interested in working for them even though they aren’t actively hiring for the position you’re applying for? One way to increase one’s chances of being offered a position is to submit applications for jobs that are not advertised.
Your application for available positions will follow the standard format for cover letters, and the body of the letter will have a structure similar to the following:
“I want to express my gratitude for the time you spent looking over my resume. I just received my diploma from ABC Media School, and at the moment, I’m looking for work in the South Park area.
I am writing to express my interest in working for your company in the capacity of Social Media Manager. I would like to use my familiarity with current Internet and social media trends to make a positive contribution to your business. I have it on good authority that ABC Health & Body is a fantastic place of employment, and I would be honoured to be considered for a position with the company.
Please feel free to contact me via e-mail at XYZ@email or by phone at 123-456-789 if you have any questions regarding my credentials and qualifications. I am looking forward to communicating with you in the not-too-distant future.
Personalize your letter based on your previous experiences and roles.
The emphasis of the letter will shift in accordance with the breadth and depth of your experience. Recent college graduates will place a greater emphasis on their potential and eagerness for further education or training. In contrast, an experienced professional who has worked in their field for a number of years will emphasize their experience.
When compared to a position in social work, working in sales will require you to speak in a manner that is significantly different linguistically. Be sure to tailor your cover letter to the position you are applying for, whether it be a career change, an entry-level job, an internship, part-time work, summer work, a position volunteering, or something else entirely.
You can start by looking at letter samples, but you should make sure to write a letter tailored specifically to each job. In the end, it will be worth it. Personalize your cover letter for the position you are applying for by using keywords that you glean from the job description or words that are pertinent to the skills that are needed for the position.
Be sure to explain what you can do for the company and why you should be hired. And one more thing: try not to make your letter uninteresting. Exhibit a little bit of your unique character. Your cover letter does not have to be poetry, but it should show some sign of humanity and differentiate itself from the generic letters that many other people send.
