How to
write a cover letter that guarantees you the job
Body 1
Before writing the letter,do your research. Get digging and find out as much information as
you can about the company you are applying to. Depending on how badly you want
the job, you may want to get more than what is on the company website’s profile
page. The organization’s site, press releases, social media, the newspaper are
good places to start.
Body 2
So how do you write the cover letter?The
average employer spends less than 15 seconds on each cover letter they have on
their desk. Your letter ideallyshould generate enough impact to get them
interested, (and retain the interest) in less time than it would take for them
to dismiss it. To do this, personalize your
letter.
Introduction
In the address, use proper titles and name. Use the information from your research. For
example, check the ‘management’ or ‘staff’ sectionof the company’s website and
see if you can track down a name to use.The advert may even have name of the
contact person. For Example:
“Dear Mrs. Kamau” or “Dear Mr. Ouma”
If a name is unavailable, then use a title for
example,The Human Resource Manager.”
Try to be as accurate with this title as possible.
Opening Paragraph
“I wish to apply for the position of
‘Financial Assistant advertised as vacant on the March 23rd edition
of the Business Weekly.”
Explain what interests you
about the job in a brief sentence.Try to maintain a balance between sounding
enthusiastic about the prospect while retaining a respectable level of
professionalism.
Your goal here is to show your worth and how you can be
useful to this particular position should you be selected for the position. The
question you are trying to answer essentially is “Why You?” Emphasize your strengths and focus on showing the
relationship between your skills and experience to the vacancy.
You can also describe your
previous achievements and how they relate to the vacancy, and identify two or three
brief reasons why you should be called to interview. The research you did in
step one should come in handy at this point as it gives you a considerable
number of points you can exploit.
Refer the reader to your
enclosed CV for additional information. If done right, this combo should just
about get you in, and you should be getting the call in no time.
Closing
End the letter with details on what exactly you plan on doing
as your next step. If you plan on following up with a telephone call, say so. If
you plan on waitingto hear from the employer, let them know. Conclude by saying
you look forward to discussing your career with the recipient.
Body 3
The format of the letter will depend on the
company to which you are applying. In most instances however, a certain level
of professionalism will go a long way to creating a lasting impression.
Exit
Many people know how to write a basic cover
letter. I’m pretty sure you could whip up one in less than five minutes if you
had to seeing as you’ve probably written a few by now. If you have written more than a few however, then you might
want to read on and improve the effectiveness of your letters.