Before we can even talk about what to put in your cover letter, we must answer the question: do you really need a cover letter?
Cover letters are not dead, believe it or not. The situation might not call for a cover letter, however. For example, if you’ve networked your way into an interview or pre-interview call and had a lengthy discussion then you probably don’t need a cover letter. Anything your cover letter would convey you probably have discussed already.
If you are sending your resume into a job portal or were recruited, then you might want to think about adding a cover letter. The cover letter can explain things your resume can’t. But it also needs to be compelling to persuade the reader to also read your resume.
Let’s get to what goes into your cover letter.
Heading
Pro tip! Use the same heading (meaning your name and contact info) you use for your resume as “letterhead” in your cover letter. This gives a polished, professional look to your cover letter.
Also, you can add hyperlinks to your email and LinkedIn profile (if using). This way when the reader is reading your cover letter or resume electronically, they are one click away from contacting you.
Letter Structure
The cover letter is a business letter, so the rules of business letters apply. These are tips from Modernize Your Job Search Letters: Get Noticed … Get Hired by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark.
- Add the date a few lines under your letterhead, aligned with the left margin.
- Two or three lines below the date add the name and address of the person you are writing to. This is called the inside address.
- Two lines below the inside address add a formal salutation followed by a colon (a colon, not a comma because this is a business letter).
- Optionally you can include a subject line two lines below the salutation.
- And, you might guess, two lines below the last line you wrote you can start on the body of the letter. We’ll get to the contents of the body in a moment.
- Close your letter with “Sincerely”, or similar.
- Leave two or three blank lines and type your name. If you mail a physical copy you can sign above your typed name.
- If you’ve attached a resume, you can add the word Attachment: Resume or Enclosure: Resume (if it’s a physical copy).
The cover letter body
As with many forms of communication these days you don’t want to make the letter too long. You need to capture interest in only a few lines.
The first paragraph says why you are writing in the first place. You saw a posting, you were invited by someone to forward your resume, or whatever reason. This might only be one or two sentences.
The second paragraph can list three (or so) reasons why you’re a great fit for the role you are applying for. Make these count!! The reader has to be interested enough in these three points to spend more time reading your resume.
Pro tip! Don’t copy three bullet points out of your resume and call it done. Come up with extra reasons why you are a great fit or explain something in more detail than is on your resume. As general guidance, don’t waste the precious space you have with duplicate information.
The third paragraph is the call to action – ask for the interview! For example, “Looking forward to speaking with you about this in-person. I will contact you before the end of the week to coordinate availability.” Choose a phrase you are comfortable with but be bold. Respectful confidence goes a long way here.
How to package your cover letter
Sometimes there is a place to upload your cover letter on a job portal, and sometimes there isn’t. Either way, you can create a document where the first page is your cover letter, and the next page(s) are your resume and submit the document as your resume. That way the cover letter will most likely be read. If you upload it separately the chances are lower that the hiring manager will read it.
Hope this helps you in creating a great cover letter that will grab attention and get you closer to finding and filling the role that’s a great fit for you!