Cover Letter

Cover letters are letters of introduction that are attached to documents, such as curriculum vitae or resumes. The success letter is the most significant factor in the failure or success of your job-hunting campaign. A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management on approximately 600 employment professionals, suggested that around 76% of employers eliminate a candidate solely on the quality of the cover letter. 43% of the survey respondents also reported that the cover letter was viewed equal to the resume, in importance.

Cover letters can grab the attention of the readers, raise their curiosity and stimulate immediate interest in the candidate. In fact, if a cover letter is well written, it can also compel the reader to extend an invitation for an interview, without even reading the resume document attached. At the same time, a poorly written cover letter can spoil your opportunity to avail of a good job ends up acting as an obstacle to any further consideration. The cover letter consists of several critical factors that can have an impact on the effectiveness of your approach. Poorly conceived cover letters end up earning you negative results and give ample reason to the employer to discard the letter and resume.

There are people who invest a lot of time in preparing and designing their resumes, but they seldom think of writing covering letters that serve as an overlay document for introducing the resume and professional credentials. Since cover letters are the first to impress, it is essential to keep the letter simple yet attractive. A proper cover letter will not only create a good impression, but it also highlights you as a fastidious and conscientious person and your quality of work. You can pre-market your candidacy with a well-designed cover letter. You should always treat the letter with utmost importance, since many employers seldom bother to read the resumes.

There are five types of cover letters and each letter is designed in a different manner, as they serve different purposes.

• Resume letters
• Letters to search firms
• Letters to employers
• Networking cover letters
• Advertising Response letters

There are many job seekers who do not realize the importance of an impressive cover letter. The covering letter is very important to a job search and functions as a personal dialogue with the hiring committee. The letter should articulate properly the reason why you think you suit a particular placement. A cover letter must impress because it results in an appointment and finally, employment. It should be successful in marketing you as a person who has the expertise and skills that the specified job requires. Make sure that your claim to be the ‘right person’ is sufficiently backed by the contents of the letter. It is always good to express your work ethics and achievements, along with personality traits that specifically address each job requirement. There are some factors that you need to keep in mind, if you want to get better results out of your cover letters.

• You need to know what the employer wants
• Make sure that you market your strengths in order to edge out the competition
• Prepare a letter that meets the requirements of the employer
• List examples of problem solving that corresponds to the needs of the employer.
• The letter should be like a personal communication, as if you are talking directly to the employer
• Present yourself as a potential candidate who is worth interviewing.

You need to consider the fact that cover letters are documents of great importance and the design and content has a significant impact on your placement. The letter should ensure careful and deliberate attention of the employer, if you want to increase your opportunities in the competitive world. Make sure that you customize the cover letter for a particular job and place emphasis on what and how you can contribute to the organization. The covering letter should help to sell your ability and dedication to execute the duties assigned to you by the company. The letter should be sufficiently backed by relevant documents that prove your claims specified within. The covering letter and the resume, together earn you the desired appointment and interview. It is very essential to create a rough draft first and read and reread the letter, prior to dispatching it. This will lessen your chances of being rejected on account of a poor first impression. The strengths and weaknesses highlighted should be such that they actually emphasize your presence as the best candidate for the job.