A cover letter is an essential document for job seekers, and it’s something that can be hard to get right.
Finding cover letter examples is harder that just works.
It would help if you convinced the hiring manager that you are a good fit for their company without coming across as too aggressive.
With so much at stake, it’s worth taking the time to do your research on how best to write one in 2022.
The following article will teach you what goes into writing a cover letter, plus provide valuable tips on how not only make yours stand out from other applicants but also increase your chances of getting called in for an interview.
It might seem like a daunting task now, but by reading this guide and practicing with some sample letters, you’ll be able to create effective letters every time – and land that all-important interview.
It’s always good to start writing a cover letter with the basics: your contact details, why you are writing, and an introduction to yourself.
Be direct and include brief information about what position you are applying for.
Let’s get a bit more in-depth as to how to write the best cover letter.
What is a Cover Letter, and why is it so important?
A cover letter is a formal document that should accompany the resume.
It’s a tool that helps you make your case for why you are the perfect candidate for the job description and can be used to highlight essential skills and experiences that are relevant to your dream job.
Even if writing Cover Letters isn’t something, you do daily, writing a good one can make all the difference in getting an interview.
You might be thinking that writing Cover Letters is something you should pay someone else to do.
Checking various Cover Letter Examples is a great idea.
However, writing your own allows you to show your personality and writing style, which are all elements that hiring managers will look for when reviewing applications.
Before we start writing the cover letter itself, here are some general points to consider:
Research the company and the job description that you are applying for.
Show them that you’ve done your homework by highlighting key points from their articles or social media pages within yours.
A well-written cover letter makes a great first impression on your potential employer.
It is an excellent way of writing in-depth about your experiences, your educational backgrounds and skills, and how they match the role you are applying for.
What Should you include a Cover Letter Examples (That yours probably is lacking)
What are the key elements of writing a cover letter?
The following is not an exhaustive list but includes some key points for writing your own.
- Summary Statement: This should include a short overview of your background and experience, highlighting relevant skills and attributes that make you an ideal candidate for the role. Do not simply repeat what’s in your CV!
- Personal Profile: The personal profile section allows you to show them who you are as a person and how they can benefit from hiring you (not just what your credentials are). As such, this is arguably one of the most critical areas to get right within writing a cover letter. Remember, though – don’t be too informal or casual with this part; it needs to be professional (even when writing CVs and cover letters for writing jobs, your writing will still need to be grammatically correct and typo-free).
- Education: Include the dates of your degree or qualification as well as relevant course content details. If you are writing a CV for writing jobs, it is also worth mentioning any voluntary work or other extracurricular activities.
- Work Experience: The key points here are detail, detail, detail (but don’t waffle) – includes information about how long you have been in each role and where you worked; plus, more importantly, what skills and knowledge have you gained? You can also mention any volunteer experience but make sure that the job experience section outweighs this by at least 80% of the total word count within your writing a cover letter.
- References: This section should always be included, and ideally, it should consist of two to three professional referees who can vouch for your writing ability, skills, personality, and professionalism when writing a cover letter. Include the person’s name, contact details, and relationship to you (if relevant). If writing CVs for writing jobs, then consider asking if they would be happy to act as a referee at this stage before you ask them formally.
- Warming up to writing Cover Letters (and how). When writing an excellent cover letter, there are several steps that you need to follow to get the most out of it. Don’t feel pressured into rushing through this process! Be patient with yourself and take your time with each step.
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter that people cannot say NO to!
- Write the Blanks: When writing a cover letter, writing it first in your own words can help you to draft out the sentences and overall structure of what you want to say. It helps with writing CVs too!
- Get Personal: Do not write your Cover Letter as if writing a CV. Instead, approach writing them in two stages – think about who will be looking over it so that you can tailor some of the content accordingly (this is just like writing for different audiences). It will also come across more naturally rather than generic, which might put off the hiring manager from taking a closer look at the cover letter as anyone could have written it. You can’t tell everyone how good you are at writing a cover letter!
- Eliminate Jargon: Get rid of as much jargon as possible and simplify your writing when writing CVs. If writing your CV for writing jobs, steer clear of using industry buzzwords or terms that may cause the reader to stop and think, ‘what does this mean?’. Keep it clear and concise.
- Keep it Active: Use action words in persuasive writing when writing a cover letter and highlight your key skills or achievements when writing CVs for writing jobs. This will help employers see what you are capable of doing, rather than just reading about what skills you already possess as part of writing a cover letter.
- Highlight Key Qualifications: If writing CVs for writing jobs, then the Cover Letter is an ideal opportunity to include any courses or qualifications relevant to the job role but were not included on your CV (e.g., writing techniques, marketing experience). In addition to this, consider additional information such as languages, software knowledge, etc., that may make a difference to your suitability for the job role.
More tips on how to write a cover letter example that leaves a fantastic impression
We have some more tips on how to leave a lasting impression on your potential new employer.
All meant to give you the best possible insight into how to increase your writing knowledge and land your next job.
Start the Cover Letter with a Header:
Starting with a header will help to create an impact.
You can use different font sizes to make it stand out or even add some color to get your reader interested immediately.
Greet the Hiring Manager
Check for the name of the hiring manager or person to whom you will be writing your cover letter. Use their name and then greet them by writing ‘Dear __________’. It’s a good way to open up a correspondence.
Format and Style
Formatting and writing style are essential.
Take the time to create a standard format and stick to it throughout your writing process – don’t change structure or colors mid-way through writing a cover letter!
Add the Postscript, a Great Hack Nobody Uses
A postscript at the end of your writing makes a great closing paragraph.
Postscript can highlight further why you are writing to them and the relevance you would bring to their company.
Don’t forget Your References.
It will show how well you can work with others and reinforce your writing skills.
Remember to add the reference’s name, contact information, and position title when writing references.
It is a writing CV writing tip which might seem easy, but it only works if you remember to write them!
Cover Letter Examples
Below you can find a well-structured cover letter that will entice a future employer to look at your CV and get on a call with you to invite you to an interview.
It is short but highlights the best features of the applicant in a manner that would entice the person in charge to get on that call.
Below example is for a social media content writer which you could use a cover letter template and customize to match your own style:
” Dear _____,
Thank you for the opportunity to write to you and show what I have to offer. My writing skills are versatile, and I am more than happy to use writing content that is social media-ready.
I am writing this letter because I find a need for creating content that is meaningful and can be used on social media. My writing skills cover various styles, with some writing being informal and others writing informative. It all depends on the intended audience.
I also hope that my experience with writing articles, blogs, posts would make me a good fit for your company and hopefully the perfect addition to your team.
Yours sincerely,
________________”
Conclusion
Writing a cover letter is essential for your next job application.
There are many different tips and tricks that can help you write a fantastic cover letter, from writing the header, greeting the hiring manager, formatting your writing style, and referencing other writers to convince them of how well you work with others.
A generic cover letter may seem easy to grab somewhere from the internet, but having a personalized one created with the above cover letter tips should get you much closer to landing that new dream job!
The postscript at the end of your writing makes a great closing paragraph that highlights why you’re writing this particular person and what would bring value to their company.
We hope these tips and our cover letter examples will give you some insight on how best to craft one that leaves an impression on any future employer – all meant to make sure they take notice!
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