Tips on writing a perfect cover letter
Most of the people looking for a job are worried about having a perfect CV. But the cover letter is of great importance. It decides, to a great extent, whether the hiring manager or the recruiter will look at your CV or not. The cover letter is like the first impression on the recruiter. Therefore, writing a perfect cover letter becomes of great importance. But writing a covering letter is not a piece of cake. Here are a few tips on writing a perfect cover letter that will help your application stand out from the pile.
- Keep it brief and short.
You don’t need to tell your history or any emotional story of life in the cover letter. The cover letter is meant to be brief and to the point. The hiring manager is already dealing with hundreds of applications. Don’t make it tough to go through yours. Don’t elaborate on the things which are already in your CV. Make complete use of the covering letter to put forward your personality and character. A long cover letter will be boring and monotonous to read. Also, avoid keeping it too short otherwise, you might sound rude and insensitive. Your covering letter should be less than a page and around 300-350 words.
- The opening line should be striking.
Now that is a difficult but important part. Avoid using common and generic sentences like, “I am XYZ, applying for the post of ABC.” It doesn’t seem to be an out-of-the-box sentence that can provoke curiosity in the mind of the hiring manager. Remember the speeches you used to give or listen to in your schools. The teacher always emphasized on having an interesting opening to catch the attention. You have to do the same here. Start with a quote or anecdote which best describes you.
- Everything you write should be job-centric.
You need to understand that you have to be creative while writing the cover letter. You have a space constraint here, and you have to impress the hiring manager keeping that constraint in mind. Don’t just start flaunting about your skills or achievements in the covering letter. Be conscious of every sentence you write. Ask yourself how your skill can enhance your chances of getting that job or help the company. Show how you, and only you, are the best fit for the position and nobody else. If you can do that, viola! You have understood the essence of the cover letter.
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