A cover letter, or job application letter is a letter, mostly within one page, that is usually submitted along with a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume when applying for a job. It is used to show a summary of the applicant’s professional background. It acts as a personal introduction and provides additional information of the applicant.
An effective cover letter helps to increase an applicant chance of being selected for a job. Some recruiter may ask for a cover letter in a job listing, some may not, however it is always good to include a cover letter alongside a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume weather it is asked for in a job listing or not. When writing an effective cover letter some important points to include are:
- An appropriate subject heading which should state that you are applying for a specific job eg. RE: Application for the Accounts Manager position.
- Start with a salutation to the hiring person.
- First paragraph- Make sure to capture the recruiter’s attention with a brief description on your top achievements.
- Second paragraph- State why you are best suitable for the job position.
- Third paragraph- Explain what you can bring to the company overall if given the job position.
- End letter in a formal way.
