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Cover Letters

Writing a Good Cover Letter

A cover letter is a very important document that accompanies your resume, something that makes the employer consider your resume and application. It is very important that you draft it well and present it beautifully, so that it instantly attracts the attention of the prospective employer.

A good cover letter is one that does not waste time summarizing your resume but instead dwells on your suitability for the position. When writing a good cover letter you should ensure that it is addressed to the right person and includes his or her name in the salutation. The first part of a good cover letter should expressly state your interest in the position and also your reason for applying. You could mention the person who referred you or could mention the details of the advertisement, whichever is applicable.

The second part is the most important part of the cover letter, as it is where you can go beyond all boundaries and sell yourself. However, care should be taken not to exaggerate and overstate your abilities. Your abilities and experience should be stated simply and clearly, so that it enables the employer to take a decision.

Finally, the third part is where you thank the person for considering the application and reading the letter. Here you should also mention details about follow up. In other words you could give your phone number or could just state that you will call up the office and follow it up.

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Cover Letters

Sample Cover Letter

16th July 2009

Ryan Thompson

Thompson Associates

Regent Park

23 Fairfield CT 06809

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I would like to apply for the position of administrative assistant as advertised by your company in the Fairfield Time and am enclosing my resume for your scrutiny and action. After completing my diploma, I have been working as the head of the Secretarial Pool for the past 4 years.

As the Head of the Secretarial pool, I have had the chance of demonstrating my abilities as the top secretary in the firm for two consecutive years. Apart from excelling in Microsoft Office, I also excel in other database software that is commonly used today. Speed, accuracy and efficiency are my forte and work very well under pressure. Apart from the regular secretarial skills, I also possess knowledge of legal terms and procedures, which I feel will be of great help in this position.

I would like to thank you for considering my application and would like to state that I am available for an interview. Please feel free to call me at (203) 333-5555 at your convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Jessica Morton

Jessica Morton

Encl. Resume

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Cover Letters

Resume Cover Letter Template

Contact Information

Your name

Address

Zip Code

Phone Number

Email id

Date

Employer Details

Name of person

Post held

Name of Company

Address

Zip Code

Salutation,

Dear Ms. Or Mr. and the last name

Body of the Letter

All resumes have to be accompanied by a good and well drafted cover letter, as this will ensure consideration of the resume for the job. While drafting a cover letter accompanying a resume, it should not be a summary of the resume but it should reflect all the factors that are either missing from or ambiguous in the resume.

First part

It is important to mention in the body of the cover letter that you are attaching the resume for further scrutiny and action. You can highlight the points from your resume that you feel will definitely make the reader consider the attached resume. You could mention qualifications in some cases, where it may act as a selling point. However, the cover letter should largely reflect your experience and achievements, which your resume will not cover directly.

Second Part

In a resume cover letter, you should describe your various abilities, whether it is customer satisfaction, awards for best performer, industrious and sincere nature, accuracy and such qualities that will enable the employer to decide. Motivation and interest in work are two factors that should be mentioned to catch the eye of the employer.

Third Part

Finally, you should thank the person for considering your application and should leave your number for future calls regarding interviews. It is important to address all cover letters to individuals as this gives it a professional touch and also shows the amount of effort you have put in to get the name, which in turn shows your interest in the job.

Closure

Yours faithfully, truly, sincerely etc.

Your signature

Name

Enclosures, if any

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Cover Letters

How to Write a Cover Letter

Resumes without cover letters are less likely to be considered by any employee and hence it is important to send all resumes with a cover letter. Many wrongly feel that a cover letter is just a summary of the resume and end up sending it only to have it rejected. A proper cover letter is one where you express interest in the job, state reasons for applying and also for being considered.

Many a times we are faced with the question as to how to write a cover letter that will ensure consideration of our application. Well, the answer is very simple and before embarking on it, you have to identify the person you will address the cover letter. After having done that, you have to state the reason for the application, be it a response to an advertisement or referral. Afterwards you have to state your interest in the present position and your suitability.

In the body of the cover letter you have to ensure you cover all points of your achievement and qualities that perfectly match with the requirement of the company. This is absolutely necessary as this will make you the perfect solution for their problem and will ensure that your resume is considered.

Finally at the end, you should not forget to thank the person for his or her time and also prompt any future contact that is required. You could leave your telephone number or state that you will call later. It is imperative that you do so as this confirms your interest in the job and also your availability.

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Cover Letters

Effective Cover Letter

While cover letters are very important for your resume, it is equally important to ensure that they are effective cover letters. Much has been said about the contents of a cover letter, but not much in terms of how it has to be presented. It is very important for a cover letter to attract the attention of the employer else the resume will be thrown into the dustbin or worse cold storage.

An effective cover letter is one that reflects your suitability to the job advertised, making you the best candidate for the post. An effective cover letter is one where you state your qualities and achievements in the superlative without exaggerating, to ensnare the attention of the employer. You have to sound as if you are the right person and yet not oversell yourself. A fine line has to be maintained between selling and overselling. For a cover letter to be effective you have to ensure that it is addressed to the right person and the right post. You also have to prompt any future contact at the end of the letter, either by leaving your number or by stating that you will call and find out. This reflects seriousness of the application.

Finally, it is important to read and reread the letter and have it read by others, to ensure that there are no mistakes, spelling or grammatical, as this would defeat the entire purpose.

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Cover Letters

Cover Letter Tips

Cover letters are extremely important additional documents for accompanying resumes and have to be extremely concise and to the point. While there are many different types of cover letters, the ones used most often are those accompanying resumes to prospective employers.

The first most important tip for writing that perfect cover letter is to address it to a person and name him or her in the address part. This personalizes the entire letter and also shows the efforts you have put in for the job. Second part is to express an avid interest in the company and the position. This is very important and something that most people forget to state.

Many feel that cover letters are used to sell the resume and hence should use a good amount of jargon that do not find place in the resume. Qualities like meticulous worker, team player, leadership abilities demonstrated etc should be used in the body of the cover letter to express both experience and achievement. In some cases, it may be a good idea to also mention your qualifications but this is based on the job and the qualification required for the same.

Finally, you should end the cover letter by thanking the person for his or her attention and also leave room for a follow up. This could be in the form of a phone number or a message that you will call and find out.

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Cover Letters

Cover Letter Template

Contact Information

Your name

Address

Zip Code

Phone Number

Email id

Date

Employer Details

Name of person

Post held

Name of Company

Address

Zip Code

Salutation,

Dear Ms. Or Mr. and the last name

Body of the Letter

First Part

Writing a cover letter is fairly simple provided you put in a little effort to understand what is absolutely necessary and what the pitfalls are.

After the initial addresses, comes the body of the letter, which can be divided into three parts, namely, the reason and interest, experience and achievements and finally the follow up. It is important to express interest in the job and also state the reason for writing this cover letter.

Second Part


After you have done that you have to match your experience and qualifications with those required and present it in such a way that the employer feels that you are the best candidate for the job. You have to include various jargon like “excellent communication skills”, “demonstrated leadership qualities”, “team leader and player” etc. in the body of your cover letter, of course ensuring relevance to the job at hand.

Third Part

Finally you have to end the cover letter by thanking the person for considering the application and you can either leave your contact number, expressing hope for an interview or in the alternative state that you will call after a certain period.

Closure

Yours faithfully, truly, sincerely etc.

Your signature

Your Name

Enclosures, if any

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Cover Letters

Cover Letter Help

While seeking a job, a cover letter is as important as or more so than the resume. This is because the cover letter largely determines the interest or lack thereof of the employer in your resume. Not everyone is confident of getting that perfect cover letter and they are often rejected by employers, despite their qualifications, because of bad cover letters.

The most common mistake made by many while drafting a cover letter is to replicate the resume. One must most definitely refrain from doing so as this is not going to help. In order to draft the perfect cover letter, it will help to list your achievements and qualification. Once this is identified, the next step is to carefully read the job advertisement and identify the requirements. If the two match then the cover letter should mention where and how the requirements match with your qualifications without repeating your resume.

A very important point that should be covered in a cover letter is the name of the person you are addressing through the cover letter. You can call and find out the name, if it is not mentioned in the advertisement. Also it is important to express your interest in the position and also thank the person at the end for considering you.

Finally before you sign the cover letter proof read it and check for any mistakes, spelling or grammatical and if possible give it to someone in your family or friend circle to read. This would ensure reduction in mistakes in a cover letter.

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Cover Letters

Cover Letter Format

A cover letter is very important and needs to be well drafted and presented, in order to make your resume more attractive. While many find the process of drafting a cover letter daunting, it is very simple actually. You can easily divide the cover letter into three parts, the first being the reason for writing it, the second your qualities and qualifications and the third is the follow up.

At the outset, you have to clarify your reason, be it a response to an advertisement or response to a referral or even prospective job hunting; you have to state it clearly. This will clarify your interest in the job being offered. Many people often forget to clarify their interest and this leads to cover letters being chucked into the dustbin

Second and most important part of a cover letter is the description part. This is where you clinch the deal by making yourself suitable for the role and job. While writing this part it is important to understand the needs of the company and ensure that your qualities and capabilities match it totally.

The third part of the cover letter is where you can directly seek an interview or hint at an interview. You can either be direct and leave your number or can be more forward and let the person know that you will call in a few days time to find out the outcome. At the end however, you should not forget to thank the reader for his or her time.

Finally, all cover letters must be addressed to a person. It is very important to add a name to the cover letter as it reflects your seriousness and personal touch.

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Cover Letters

Sales Manager Cover Letter

15th July 2007

Ms. Olivia John,

General Manager (Sales)

Keller Associates

34 Wilfred Park

Fairfield CT 06815

Dear Ms. John,

I am interested in applying for the post of Sales Manager as advertised in the Fairfield Times and submit my resume for the same.

I have been working as Assistant Sales Manager at Sunshine Products for the past 6 years and have often stood in for the Sales Manager in his absence. I have demonstrated laudable leadership skills at my earlier job. I am known to be a lateral thinker and strategic planner. My excellent communication skills and affable nature make me a natural leader and team player and ultimately lead to growth and development of the business.

I am available for an interview instantly and you may contact me at (203) 777-6546 at your convenience.

I would like to thank you for considering my application and hope that you will call me at your earliest.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Hilton

Robert Hilton

Encl. Resume

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