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How to Write an Awesome Cover Letter

  • February 17 2014
  • Comments Off on How to Write an Awesome Cover Letter
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A cover letter is your introduction to a company and is what will compel them to move forward to your resume. This is your chance to boast about yourself, your accomplishments and what you bring to the table. Keep in mind that employers do not like to read long texts, so keep it simple and brief.

Personal Information

At the top left are of the page, your personal information should be formatted in proper order. The top line will be your first and last name. The next line should be your physical address, including apartment number if it applies. Following that should be the city, state and zip code. Contact information is next with the phone number being right under the city/state and an email address under the phone number.

The Greeting

Always greet the exact person you are submitting the cover letter to. If you do not have their name, contact the company for their name. Generic greetings such as ‘To Whom It May Concern’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ are not going to cut it. When you directly greet the reader of the cover letter, it shows that you have a general interest in the company and have a professional attitude toward the position.

The Body

The body of your letter should be no more than three paragraphs that are no more than six to eight sentences each.  The first paragraph is your introduction to the company telling them who you are. In this section, include that your strong qualities such as being thorough, a fast learner, hard worker or detail oriented. Make these items specific to key points of the job.

 

In the next section, discuss your achievements within the field. This should include promotions, raises, awards or educational merits. Include the place and date or year that the event took place. These items need to be verifiable as well. An example of what to include is, for a sales position, include sales achievements such as top salesperson, most sales in a fiscal year and other pertinent accomplishments.

 

The last section is where you will write why you should be considered over other candidates. Here you want to discuss what you have that another applicant doesn’t. You may want to include that your proven track record insists that you are capable of increasing company revenues or improving the productivity of the business as examples.

What Not to Include

Do not include any wording that would refer to you as being desperate, low on funds or needy in any way. Sympathy is not the way to obtain employment that will become a long term employment situation. Fluctuate the use of the words I, me and my as much as possible. Start your sentences with alternative words. Yes, the cover letter is about you but you do not want to come off as repetitive or overly arrogant. Use a sentence starter in regards to experience such as ‘Some of the duties performed at XYZ Company included’ rather than ‘I performed a variety of tasks at XYZ Company’.

Proper Closure

In your closing, include one to two sentences thanking the reader for his or her time by directing the wording toward them directly. Include that you are eagerly awaiting a response and believe that you would be a great addition to their team.

 

If you follow these simple structures, an amazing cover letter will be produced. Try to refrain from powerful adjectives such as excellent, great and perfect. Keep the wording friendly in tone but make yourself shine at the same time. First impressions mean everything when you are looking to obtain employment.

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Cameron Mackey

Cameron is the Content Manager for the Vorongo Blog. He has spent three years in various content marketing roles. When he is not working with Vorongo he enjoys photography and hiking.

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