Having a great cover letter is really important during your job search. Your cover letter will go over who you are and what makes you unique. Plus, it will highlight your work experience that makes you a great fit for the role, it will address which position you’re applying for, and request an interview or phone call. Your cover letter may be the reason a hiring manager decides to interview you, so make sure to take the time needed to make it articulate, well-crafted, and compelling. To help you along the way, below is a step-by-step guide on how to write a killer cover letter:
Step 1. Before You get started
Before you start writing your cover letter, first start out by creating a list that goes over everything you can bring to the table. Not why you’re interested in this position or why you would love to work for this company, but the value you can provide. Read over the job description of the position you’re interested in and do some research on the company. Then make a list of your previous work experience, education, and volunteer work that is relevant to this position (and will help showcase why you’re the perfect fit for this role).
Step 2. Make Sure To Be As Detailed As Possible
Now take the information you put together in step one and let’s turn it into something amazing. Hiring managers want to see specific accomplishments that are measurable. So wherever possible add numbers, awards, publications, statistics, etc. Here are three examples to help you craft your own:
Example One:
Ranked in the top 10 of my graduating class.
Example Two:
Raised sales by 30% while interning for Company XYZ .
Example Three:
Received Best Student Award during m yFinal year at University of Dar es Salaam.
Step 3. Writing the Introduction
Now it’s time to create your introduction. This is where you will introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your email in 2-3 sentences. Keep the intro short, to the point, and be specific by including the exact position you’re applying for. Ex: “My name is Shaban George and I’m writing to express my interest in the Marketing Assistant position listed on google.com jobs. Given my related experience, I would appreciate your consideration for this job opening.”
Step 4. Include a Call to Action
Now that the introduction and body of your cover letter are complete, it’s time to add a call to action. If you’re not completely familiar with what this is, a call to action is an instruction asking the hiring manager to take some sort of action. An example of this would be requesting a phone call, interview, or meeting. Of course, you want to avoid sounding too aggressive but you do want to be assertive in order to create that next step. Ex: “I’m very excited to learn more about this opportunity and share how I will be a great value to your organization. I will call you next Thursday to follow up on my application or feel free to reach out to me directly at 0764 xxx 222 ”
Step 5. Add Your Contact Information
The next step is to add your contact information. This includes your name, email address, and phone number. When adding your contact information, make sure to include it on the top and bottom of your cover letter. When adding to the top, it will be a similar formatting style as your resume. However, when you add it to the bottom, include it under your signature. Incorporating your contact information in both locations will make it that much easier for the hiring manager to refer back to.
Step 6. Address a Specific Person
Instead of writing ‘to whom it may concern’, find out who the specific person is who’s hiring for this role. Check the job description first to see if a contact is listed there. If not, you can try looking directly on the company website or even shoot them a quick phone call to ask for a name. Addressing your cover letter to a specific person will make much more of an impact compared to using a generalized greeting.
Step 7. Putting the Final Touches
Your cover letter is almost complete. Now go through it one last time to confirm everything is in order. Make sure there aren’t any grammatical or spelling errors that you might have missed. You wouldn’t want to spend all this time crafting an awesome cover letter for it to be thrown away because of something small you could have easily fixed. You also want to compare your cover letter to your CV. Are they too similar? You want to make sure your cover letter doesn’t mirror your CV but instead adds additional value. Once you’ve checked for both of these, your cover letter is ready to go.
Conclusion
Having a great cover letter is so important during your job search and may be the reason why a hiring manager decides to interview you. Make sure it highlights why you will be a great fit for the role, include your contact information, and don’t forget to ask for an interview or phone call. Good luck!
