Cover Letter
Participating in an effective job search is not for the faint of heart. It requires research, communication skills, interviewing. It also requires getting potential employers to notice you amongst the pile of other applicants.
How can you get noticed amongst a pile of paper resumes or digital files when everyone is screaming from the paper, pick me for the job!
The truth is you have to have good quality writing that showcases you like the great candidate that you are. Employers get lots of applications and many of them are badly done. If you apply and showcase yourself well, you are bound to stand out.
One way to do this is to write a high-quality cover letter. If you have ever written an “average” cover letter, you might be wondering what things to include in a cover letter so you can get noticed. You may also find it useful to use Cultivated Culture’s free tool and use a template to write your cover letter.
Read on to learn all you need to know to write a top-notch cover letter.
What to Include in Your Cover Letter
A cover letter is a formal business letter asking a potential employer to consider you for a job. Here’s what are the parts of the cover letter.
Personal Information, Contact Information, and the Date
Here you want to include your formal name used on your resume. You want to let the employer know how to contact you including phone number, email and LinkedIn profile information. Since many job postings have deadlines, the date on your letter might be important.
Company Information
Here you will include the name and contact information of the company you are contacting. Hint, you want to find the name of the HR person so you can make direct contact if possible.
Professional Salutation
This is the formal greeting of the letter. It’s even better if you can use the HR or hiring person’s name here.
Connect Your Skills to the Company
This is really three sections of the letter, your skills, why you are a great fit for the company, and why the company is a good match for you.
Closing and Call to Action
You want to close your letter and prompt the company to act towards contacting you or setting up the interview. A strong call to action is critically important to a solid letter.
Closing and Signature
Finish the letter with a personable closing and your signature.
About You
The most effective cover letters show employers your skill and preparedness for the job. They do this in a few ways.
Do your homework when it relates to the company. Find out as much as you can about the company, the hiring manager and even the specific position. Then show the employer you’ve done the work in your letter.
The employer, of course, will want to know how you are qualified to fill their position. Look for creative ways to show them this beyond big blocks of text.
Since many job postings are now digital and are submitted without paper, consider using this cover letter format. Send a creative cover letter that showcases your skills and is attention garnering.
Things to Include in a Cover Letter to Land the Job
You want to show potential employers your excitement at the possibility of being hired for this position. Pay attention to the things to include in a cover letter and create a unique cover letter that lands you the job.
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