How to write a good Cover Letter: What to include?

Cover Letter is a single page document, often sent with a resume when applying for a job role. It is the first hand introduction of yourself to the recruiter. It tells them who you are, what are your academic qualifications, what prior experience you have and why are you fit for the particular job role. An effective cover letter is what induces a recruiter to look further and read your resume.

How to address a  Cover Letter?

Cover letter is the first impression you make on the recruiter. It should be addressed with a salutation containing actual name of the Hiring Manager. Reading his/her own name makes the manager feel the letter is specifically written to him/her and thereby, increases the will to read. If you are unaware of the recruiter’s name and couldn’t even find it online, go for writing “Hiring Manager” or “Sales Executive Hiring Manager” (i.e. related department), whichever you can be more sure of.

How to format a cover letter?

One of the most important things to consider while writing a cover letter is to shape it in a proper format. Following is a proper cover letter format:

• Your Contact Information  (Name, Address, Phone Number)
• Date
• Employer’s Contact (Information (Name, Company, Address)
• Salutation (Mr./Mrs.)
• Body (Consisting of three  or more paragraphs)
• Courteous Ending (Yours sincerely)
• Signature

Font type, font size, margins, line spacing, headings, etc. need to be proper as for any professional document.

How to begin a Cover Letter?

Beginning of a cover letter should be one of the most well written and attractive. It will be the first thing that the recruiter will read and will significantly impact the recruiter's decision to follow the Cover Letter further. It should display your excitement for the company and job role along with your most valuable accomplishment. If you’re applying through a referral, his/her name should also be mentioned in the first two lines.

For instance, With my eyes on Deloitte since long, I was really excited to see your Tax Consultant Opening. With my 2 year experience in preparing tax returns and delivering successful client results in cutting severe tax liability upto 30%, at Akask Digital, I feel I can be the right heir to the position.

You can also try beginning a letter by stating any notable and related Company Fact.

What to write in a Cover Letter?

A cover letter should contain your past experiences, not all, but the ones which can provide any usefulness to your future employment, and your relevant academic credentials and professional enhancements (certifications, courses, training and more). Since, the only purpose of any cover letter is to portray the candidate as the most eligible applicant for the job role, all your experiences and achievements must be directed to the post you’re applying for.

The cover letter may be written as -” I have worked as a blogger for two years at ABC Limited. My role there was to manage the webpage content for 5 websites and improve them in terms of SEO. Today, 4 of those 5 websites, I wrote content for, have secured the top position in Google search results page. Me, and my team were also awarded a bonus for the fastest growing department.”

How to end a cover letter?

Before knowing how to end it, you should know how not to end it. Following points should be well considered while ending your letter:

• Never appear too desperate for the job.
• Avoid use of platitude ending statements.

These little mistakes can prove to be an immediate deal-breaker. A cover letter can be courteously ended by proposing a meeting, or by telling how much you’d love to work with the Company.

A good cover letter can land you in a favorable position, whereas a bad one can eliminate you in the first round itself, even after being adequately experienced/ qualified. It is hence, that one document which should be formulated with utmost concentration and by taking complete care of facts.