Cover Letter Tips

Cover letter is that valuable document that sets your accompanying resume or curriculum vitae apart from the hundreds of applications that lands up in the desk of the prospective employer. The efficacy of a good cover letter is that it acts as a formal introduction of yourself and your resume as well as creating a personalized communication with the recruiting professional or maybe the interviewer himself. Since your cover letter should include all the key points of the summary of your resume, it is essential to present the information in a clear and concise manner in bulleted fashion so that it creates an interest in the mind of the prospective employer and induce him to know more about you from the resume and even call you for a personal interview.



• Your cover letter should be written in business style and addressed directly to the employer if possible, otherwise to the highest ranked personnel like the recruiting manager who has a say in interviewing and hiring you. Mention the full name and designation of the person to whom you are addressing. • As a preamble to your curriculum vitae, the cover letter should point out the relevance of the set of skills and experience you are highlighting that correspond with the job profile you are applying for. • Use simple English, correct grammar and allow your competence and personality to be reflected. However, you should not be too aggressive or too casual in your approach. • It is essential to proofread the document to check that there are no errors, for it is a valuable means to launch your application for the job in an advantageous manner. • You should remember that your cover letter should be written to communicate and not impress. • It is imperative to be specific and make your points succinctly as the employer should not feel bored by a lengthy communication, in which case he may skim through your letter without getting to know the salient features that you wish to convey.



• Another useful tip is to write personalized cover letters each time you send an application for a job, and not have a prototype that you use everywhere you apply and to everyone you address your letter. • It is important to remember not to waste words and time in a long flowery introduction and rather go directly to the point and hold the attention of the reader. Follow this up with the information you wish to communicate and do not vacillate or try to be elaborate. Once your cover letter has found audience with the employer, he would review your detailed resume on his own interest. • Remember that to stand out among the hundreds of curriculum vitae and cover letters that the employer finds himself with, you must be able to draw on the technique of publicizing yourself without being self-congratulatory so as to emphasize how you answer to the requirements of the job matched by your credentials. • It is essential to keep a record of all your correspondence.