How to Write Perfect Cover Letter That Gets You a Job Interview

Success Trending    August 28, 2022    Career , Interview Tips   

If you're looking for a job, you've probably already written your resume. If you are applying for a job, there is a good chance that the company will be looking at your cover letter.

But if you want to get an interview, there's one thing that can make all the difference: a killer cover letter. 

Why cover letter is important?

Cover letters are important. Its main function is to serve as a letter with in-depth details mentioned in the resume. When drafting the content in your cover letter, it's critical that you keep it concise and preferably typed. Do not use xeroxed or carbon copy letters.

You should always attach a cover letter with a resume unless the job advertisement clearly says it's not relevant.

A cover letter allows you to express all the things that you can’t capture in your resume. In the cover letter, you can include brief details about why you are leaving your current job. How you can make a difference to this company if they select you etc. These are the sort of details that could make or break your selection for the job, especially if you’re being weighed against people with very competitive credentials.

How to write a perfect cover letter?

How To Write Cover Letter To Impress Recruiter? You're applying for a job, and you've just completed your cover letter and resume. The first thing that the hiring manager is going to do is read your cover letter.

So make sure it's perfect. In other words, make sure it gets you an interview!

Here are some tips on how to write one. The formal cover letter should include this.

1. Write your name and contact details i.e. email id and phone number on the top of your cover letter.

2. After contact details, including the name of the person you are writing to. If you don't know who will read your application, then you can write it as "Dear Hiring Manager" or you can use salutations "Dear Sir or Madam". Next, mention the designation that the person is holding and the company name.

Remember not to address your letter as ‘To whom it may concern’ because it is used when the letter is addressed to a large group of people. Whereas,  if you write the hiring manager's name it will be more specific.

The Beginning

The first sentence is crucial. Ideally, your first sentence should be direct. Since you are selling yourself when you write the letter. Start with a one-line opening. For example:

"With context to your advertisement posted, I would like to apply for the post of...."

The Middle Paragraph

Once you have made a good start, you will find it much easier to write the middle part of your cover letter. You can mention in brief some of the specific details related to your educational qualifications, and achievements. However, ensure that this information is in brief.

If you're referring to a job posting, the job descriptions can include a list of necessary qualifications. It could also include a list of "desirable" qualifications. All of the pertinent information must be included in your cover letter. 

Similarly, briefly mention your present job profile, responsibility, and work experience that you have mentioned in your bio-data. The purpose of referring to these in the cover letter is, here you can discuss them in brief, highlight your experience and explain how crucial your role is for the company. And all these details will help you to weigh your application.

The Closing Paragraph

The end part of the cover letter is also important. When you come to your concluding paragraph, make sure to mention that you are confident and can handle your duties responsibly. Always mention the date and time that you are available so that if they want to see you for a personal interview then they can go ahead with the mentioned dates.

You can request them to contact you with the interview details. Try something simple like, "I have included my resume here. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this position." This will send them a message that you are very positive and interested in this post.

What to Write in Cover Letter?

1. Introduce yourself and your relevant experience

Introduce yourself and your relevant experience. This is where you tell the company who you are and what you have done in the past and why they should hire you for this particular job. And don't forget about why they should hire you over someone else besides them.

2. How you will help the Company

Tell them why they should give this role to you over another candidate. Tell them how much more valuable their business will be with you as opposed to someone else even if they didn't give that person the job.

3. Why You Want to Work There

You want to work in a certain company because you have a good relationship with them, or because of the opportunity for advancement within that particular company. You can use this section to explain why you feel a personal connection to the company and why you would be happy working there. This is also a great place to mention your previous experience and how it relates to the job at hand.

4. What You can do for the Company?

The job you are applying for is a great one. The company is a well-known brand, and you have some solid skills that would make it easy for you to get the job done. But how do you write about all this? How do you show the hiring manager exactly why he should hire you?

If you look at your cover letter like a resume, then it's easy to see how to write about what you can do for the company. You can list your achievements and skills, mention what kind of projects or tasks you've worked on in the past, and mention any qualifications or experience that relate to your job.

5. How Long You Have Been Searching for a new Job?

The cover letter is a brief, one-page document that accompanies your resume and helps get you an interview. This can be written by anyone interested in the position, but it doesn't have to be written by the candidate himself.

A cover letter should not be a mere rehash of your resume; instead, it should contain specific information about why this particular job interests you and how long you have been searching for one. It should also show that you have taken initiative and have made contact with the company before submitting your application.

Do your research

The first thing to do when you're writing a cover letter is do your research. Find out who they are, what they've done, and why they should be interested in you. If you're applying for an internship, check out the company's website to see if it has an internship page and read through what past interns have said about their experience with the company. You can also find information about the company on Glassdoor.com. When writing the cover letter, you want to be sure that your application is on point. Make sure that you include everything they want to see in an applicant and make it clear that you are the best candidate for the position.

Write about the company: 

After all, your job is to make the employer see that you are the best candidate for the position. You can do this by writing a cover letter that makes it clear why you are the best person for the job. To help you write a winning cover letter, here are few tips:

• Know who you're writing to and what their company stands for. Do your research and know what they expect from candidates who apply for their jobs. This will help you tailor your cover letter to the specific needs of that particular company.
• Start with an introduction: Tell them who you are and why you think they should hire you for this position. After all, this is where most people start their letters, so it's important not to leave them hanging without explanation!
• Show what makes you qualified for this job: Talk about your experience and qualifications, but focus on what makes you unique and stand out from other candidates who might be applying to similar positions within your industry or company size (or even outside of it). Make sure to include any relevant examples that support your claims as well as details on what kinds of things would make working with them interesting or challenging.

Write about the position

You can't just focus on the job title in your cover letter. You need to show that you have the skills and expertise that are relevant to the position.

For example, if you're applying for a position as a technical writer, don't say "I'm a great writer." Say something like "I've written over 20 technical manuals and have been published in several magazines."

Write about the hiring manager

You won't lose by taking a little extra time to craft the cover letter that gets you noticed, whether it’s for an entry-level job or a position at the higher level of your field.

Here are some tips from hiring managers and career experts about how to write a perfect cover letter for a resume that makes an impression:

Make it personal. The first thing any hiring manager wants to know when they look at your cover letter is who you are and why you’re qualified for their open position. Your introduction should do just that — tell them about who you are, what education and experience you have, and how those skills will help them achieve their goals. 

Focus on accomplishments. This is where most people get tripped up — they think they need to talk about everything they did in their prior jobs, but no one wants that much personal information! Instead, focus on what gives you a competitive edge over other candidates for this job (e.g., “I was recently promoted at work because I exceeded sales projections by 15%). Include bullet points under each accomplishment so readers can see the details quickly.

Write about the industry and competitors (if applicable)

If any potential competitors have applied for the job position, this is also an opportunity to address them. Tell the employer which competitor(s) you know of and how they compare with you, including any specific accomplishments that set you apart from them.

You can also address any other concerns that may be weighing on your mind. For example, if there was something that happened recently that made you feel nervous about getting hired (such as an interview), talk about it in your cover letter so that the hiring manager will know exactly what happened and why it affected your performance on the job.

Proper formatting

• Use a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial.

• Use a standard font size of 11 or 12 points.

• Use a standard line spacing like 1.5 or even 1.25 if you think it will help your resume look more professional and less cluttered on the page without sacrificing legibility at smaller sizes (like 9-10).

• Line length: Keep it short and sweet! Your cover letter should not be longer than 3-4 pages, so keep this number in mind when choosing your margins and column widths as well with regard to how much space there is between paragraphs/sentences so they don't run together into one big mess of text that makes no sense whatsoever.

Make a case for why you are the best fit for the position

When writing a cover letter, you want to make sure that you are making a strong case for why your skills and experience are relevant to the position. You should explain how your skills and experience meet or exceed all of the requirements of the job posting. You can also talk about how your skills, experiences, and knowledge are related directly to the company's mission or values statement.

If possible, include some examples from previous work experience that demonstrate these traits in action—including samples of projects where they were used effectively (and those where they weren't).

Include numbers and examples to back up your claims

When you're making a claim, the best way to back it up is with data.

If you're saying that your resume has been on the top of Google's search results for "account manager," then provide some specific examples of when that happened and how many times in total. If your cover letter says that one of your previous employers was happy with your work ethic and another said they were impressed by how quickly you handled their most important client negotiations, provide some details on those situations so that readers can see what they mean to you.

Steps to get an interview

• Make sure you have the right skills for the job. In case you’re applying for a position in marketing, your cover letter should mention that you have experience working with clients and can write proposals.

• Use the right tone in your cover letter. Don't be afraid of sounding enthusiastic about yourself; instead, focus on making sure that potential employers know how excited you are for the opportunity at hand!

• Be confident in your ability to do the job well—and if they don't hire someone else who has better qualifications? Then there will always be another opportunity waiting out there somewhere else!

Checklist for covering letter:

1. Make sure every sentence adds huge value. Remove from your resume any elements that don't provide value, such as dull introductions, adjectives, pointless boasting, or redundant information.

2. Double-check everything in your cover letter. If you mention the company and other related details, make sure you have spelled them correctly.

3. Try not to overuse phrases like 'I am', 'I have', and 'I believe'. Please bear in mind that the employer is the focus of the conversation, not you.

In short, the best cover letter is one that communicates a lot with originality, in as few words as possible.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that many companies won't look at your email address if they don't match up with anything on their website (and even then they might ignore it). If possible, visit their website before sending along any other materials so that you know what exactly they require for applicants to complete their application process.

The cover letter is a great way to stand out from the crowd and get an interview. Follow these steps to make sure your cover letter is perfect and gets you that interview. Now that you've done your research and have written out a killer cover letter, go ahead and send it off!