A cover letter is considered as a letter sent with another document to explain the contents of the major article or resume. Cover letters are most often used with resumes, but can also be a part of a document package for a grant, a proposal, or for a solicitation.
Information to Impress Prospective Employers
The cover letter is connected to your resume and is your introduction. Your cover letter is customized to your skills and experience. Emphasize how your talent set will benefit a particular company. Demonstrate your knowledge and research of the company and know what the major points of the company are. You are actually writing a sales letter and convincing the company to hire you.
- Before starting your letter, gather information about the company and the position.
- Read the company mission statement and you will get a good idea of the culture of the company and they type of employee they are seeking.
- Read and re-read the job advertisement carefully. Make note of key words. If you know someone in the company, give them a call and ask them questions about the company. One question should be how they like working with the company.
Steps to Crafting a Cover Letter
Good advice is to craft your cover letter in a story-like format. Work with the information that is listed in your rsum. Remember that this letter is the first document a potential employer will see, and your first impression. Take advantage of this first impact to prepare your reader for your application. Let the employer know why you are writing a cover letter, why you are a good fit for the job, and ask if and when you can contact them.
Take advantage of this letter to go in-depth about the important experiences and skills you have and relate them to job requirements. Individualize your cover letter. This letter is also a sample of your communication and letter writing skills. Proof read, copy edit, have someone else read your letter to ensure everything is grammar perfect (and the auto-correct feature of your work-processing software has not taken over.)
Think about what you want to say in a cover letter. Outline the major points and briefly explain them. Be friendly, yet professional in your cover letter. That will go a long way to show that you have a personality..
The basic elements of a cover letter include:
-
- The heading. This is where you place your contact information. Include in header your name, the address where you can be reached, phone number, fax number (if applicable), and email address.Use a font that is professional like Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Palatino. The fancy writing fonts look great in personal letters, but are a deterrent in a cover letter.
- The greeting. Find the proper person you need to talk with and be sure to address your cover letter to the proper person. Avoid addressing a letter to a general mailbox like to whom it may concern, HR, or Hiring Department. These types of letters will be tossed in the round file never to be seen.
- Opening. This is where you write a personal and inviting paragraph that highlights what skills you can bring to the job.
- Hook. Highlight your past experiences as they relate to the job. If your work experience is limited, highlight the most significant jobs you have held and illustrate why your experiences at these jobs would be useful for this new company.
- Skills: Let the hiring manager or personal you are writing to, to know about any additional relevant skills that could help the company. These include computer languages, certifications, or a second language.
- Close your letter by reminding the potential employer why you are a good fit for the job position and the company.
- Ask for an interview at some point.
- Restate your contact information (just your phone number is enough).
- Thank them for their time and consideration.
- Sign your name and print it underneath.
- Dont try to be too formal or too casual; just be yourself, but be your best self.
A sample cover letter might be:
Date
Name of Hiring Agent (Mr. John Jones)
Title (Assistant to the President)
Company Name
Address
Town, State Zip Code
Statement of what your letter is about (Re: Customer Service Position)
Dear Mr. Jones: (note the colon rather than a comma)
I was thrilled to read about your opening for a customer service representative, and I hope to be considered for an interview.
My background includes customer service associated in a call center and retail environment. I worked on the customer service des for Jones Fine Foods and China where my responsibilities included issuing refunds/store credit, checking for damaged merchandise, handling customer questions and merchandise returns, and providing back-up during business hours.
Previously, I worked for a high-volume customer-support call center for a major online store center. In this position I demonstrated to ability to resolve issues and solve complaints. My expertise was in handling billing disputes, resolving service back loads, and checking on transport. My call average was 55 to 60 calls per day.
In addition to these experiences, I worked as a customer service agent in part time employment as a waitress and hostess while in high school.
I provide strong skills like computer proficiencies in MS Work, MS Excel, and CRM database applications. I honed these skills during a year of college. Please see my accompanying resume for further details of my experience and education.
I am confident that I can offer you the customer service, communication, and problem-solving skill you are seeking. Please call me at 111-222-333 to arrange an interview. Thank you for your time. I look forward to learning more about your company and this opportunity.
Sincerely,
Jane Smith (should be your own signature)
Jane Smith
A second sample of a closing statement is a bit more casual and goes as follows:
I am excited to speak withyou and talk about my possible contribution to (Name of the Company). I believe my experiences in customer service will be an asset to your company. I will be in touch with you within a week, and if you need to call me, you can call me at 111-222-3333 or email me at wantsajob@anyplace.com. Thank you for your time and consideration.
If you do state in your cover letter you will call, make sure you do not forget to do so. Even if no one is available to talk with you, your call will be noted.
Click Here to See More Details About Amazing Cover Letters
The post Amazing Cover Letters Review – Read Before You Buy! appeared first on OnlinepReviews.net.
No comments:
Post a Comment