A Simple Guide to Writing a Great Resume Cover Letter
By Justin Laykovich
So you want to make a good cover letter? There are a few things you should follow.
First and foremost, you should update your resume (and if you don’t have one, get one). Your resume should be made specifically for the position you’re aiming for. Make sure that the skills and strengths that are reflected in the resume appeal to the employer. You should also do research on the particular position you wish to enter: what is the employer’s mission? what crowd does s/he service to? what are the values of the company? what is the history of the employer?
Another thing: analyze the job thoroughly. Determine the most important skills and qualifications of the job. Write them down.
And last, in preparation, find out the name of the Manager.
Now we’re on to the Cover Letter.
First, we must format the heading correctly:
- Include your address at the top right hand corner, approximately 1 inch from the borders.
- Skip four lines and write the date
- Skip another four lines and insert the contact person as well as the name and address of the company (make sure to write to a specific person whenever possible)
Now on to the body of your cover letter, which should be 3-4 paragraphs. In the first paragraph, tell why you want to get into the position you want to get into. In the next one or two paragraphs outline all the skills you noted above and state why those skills match the skills needed for the position. Be enthusiastic, tell about your desire to help the business achieve its goals.
The final paragraph is the call to action. Give instruction to read the Resume and any contact information. It’s also very important to end with a “thank you”.
Follow the ending paragraph with a “Yours sincerely” or other salutation. Leave four lines to sign your name in blue ink (if you use black, it’s easy to think it’s a copy). Also, if this is online, only leave 2 lines blank.
And finally, PROOFREAD your cover letter! Find any errors in the document. Break down contractions: “don’t” should be “do not”; “I’ve” should be “I have”, etc. Make it sound professional and upbeat.
And that’s all it takes