Often one spends so much time trying to create the perfect CV, they overlook the value of their cover letter. By large, it’s the only opportunity to get the attention of a potential employer. This is why if its generic, badly written, or follows somewhat of a template format, the résumé will more than likely be discarded into the recycling bin or deleted items folder.
There’s nothing an employer hates more than receiving a cover letter and resume and seeing that it’s addressed to the wrong person or has incorrect spellings of names. Punctuation and spelling is indispensable when writing a cover letter as it shows that you care about what you are doing.
The opening or beginning of the cover letter is to let possible employers get to know you a bit better. It gives the opportunity for the applicant to sell themselves to the company and show them why they should be chosen over someone else. Cover letters provide insight into a person, namely – how structured they are by examining the presentation of the letter, whether they have taken the time to find out anything about my company, whether they have had or do have any ties to the company, whether they have specified the job they want, will they travel, and so forth.
Generally, there are three main components to follow when writing the letter:
- The first paragraph should point out who the person is, why exactly they are writing to the company, and what position they are applying for.
- The following paragraphs would then go into more elements regarding their qualifications and how this would benefit the company.
- The last paragraph will let the employer know how to how to contact them for further proceedings.
It’s really inspiring to find a potential employee who has done their research. This indicated that the potential employee has shown interest in the company and is eager about working there. It also makes the person appear well-informed and organised, if and when an interview is planned.
A cover letter can be the determining factor as to whether an interview is scheduled ort you are even considered for the job. Making the right decisions and taking time to write a killer cover letter will allow the employer to get an insight on what they can expect as an employee of the company.
Your cover letter can either shed shine a light on immense potential or it can be overlooked and thrown in the trash.