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A cover letter is a letter of introduction. This letter contains a brief explanation of who the applicant is and why he or she is writing to that person. It is common among resumes. It is also an act of courtesy for the applicant introduces himself or herself first before requesting a favor or anything from them. In most cases, the applicant is requesting for an interview, which is why they put on a cover letter.
There various instances wherein a company requires a cover letter for their applicants. Applicants are required to write a cover letter if they are not properly introduced to the hiring decision manager. If the applicant is properly introduced to the hiring manager, then he or she can verbally ask for an interview thus it is not necessary for the resume. It is always best if you have it whenever you are job hunting just to make sure.
In contrast, if the applicant is sending the resume by email or snail mail, then he or she must attach a cover letter. The same holds true when the applicant is handing the resume to a friend or to the manager's secretary.
Always keep it simple and brief. The hiring managers do not read cover letters from start to end. They only have time to glance at them to finish a high pile. Three or four paragraphs should be enough, and is ideal in most cases.
Many people give a long autobiography that is often unnecessary. People also tend to repeat their information. This is clearly a waste of time between the reader and applicant's time.
Contents of a Cover Letter
There are four major topics to consider when writing a cover letter. The applicant must address these topics in a brief manner so that the hiring manager will have an easy time reading it.
The first topic is to indicate what position you are applying. Then, state the reason how you learned that the company has a vacancy on that position. After that, specify in the letter why you are the perfect person for the position. Lastly, ask them whether you or the company will make the first call. Usually, the first and second topics are written in the first paragraph while the third and last topic is written in separate paragraphs.
Cover Letter Format
Cover letters are usually short and only about one page in length. It is divided into four parts, which are the header, body, introduction, and closing.
Header is a standard style in business letters. You must write the sender's address and information as well as the recipient's address and information. You must also write the date. After that, there is an optional reference point like RE: Internship Opportunity. There is also an optional transmission memo or note like Via Email to (state an email address).The last part of a header is the salutation like Dear Sir or Madam.
The introduction states the position that the applicant desires. This must also be written in a manner that will catch the employer's interest.
The body explains why the applicant is interested in a particular position. In addition, this part of the cover letter includes discussions about skills, past experiences and qualifications.
Closing is the final part of the cover letter. It indicates the step that the applicant wants to take.
If you are currently out of work, or are thinking about leaving your job then there's a chance that you've written at least one cover letter in your lifetime. But the question is what type of cover letter did you write? Many people utilize templates or carbon copy-styled cover letters that allow you to fill in the blanks where needed, but don't really delve into the position you're applying for and why you personally want the job.
This is where a targeted cover letter steps in. It allows the job seeker to focus very specifically on the position at hand, as well as the reasons that the seeker is interested in that position. If managed correctly, the targeted cover letter can help can help a candidate's application easily stand out among others. Let's look at some ways that you can manage yours …
Marry Your Goals with the Employer's
One way to manage your targeted cover letter is to make sure that your goals fall right in line with the employer's. In other words, you want to make sure that you have everything they're looking for in an employee. How can you do this other than reading their minds, you ask? Well, there are a few simple ways to get this done.
First, you can make a list of the responsibilities listed in the job posting. Usually an employer will make a rather thorough list of the roles they would like filled. From that list, you can highlight your accomplishments that link up with the employer's preferences. Next, you can visit the company's website to learn more about its mission. This can give you insight into the type of employee they're looking for.
And finally, you can communicate with current or former employees. If you don't know any, you can try social networking sites like LinkedIn that allow you to search for company employees and even communicate with them (possibly for a monthly fee). The options you offer yourself in connecting your goals with those of the employer, the better chance you'll likely have of creating a great targeted resume.
Explore Your Passion
Another great way to create that targeted resume is to delve into the reasons that you really want the job. So you know that you're a good match based on your accomplishments and skills, but do you really want the job? If you do, then it's a good idea to express this by discussing how the job aligns with your career goals, etc.
Of course, you don't want to walk across the fine line of being passionate into being narcissistic. It's easy to focus too much on how great a candidate you are – so much so that you forget about the task at hand, which is to convince the employer that you're a great match for the job.
So do you think you can create a targeted cover letter? Of course you can. It's just a matter of sitting down and exploring the real reasons you want the job, as well as why you're a great match. Doing anything less is taking the easy route. So get started on your targeted cover letter to increase your chances of snagging the job you desire.