Cover Letters

Cover Letter is very useful when you are doing a job search. Cover letter describes you individually and it also tells about your vision for the job. This helps recruiter to take right decisions while hiring you. Generally, a cover letter has three sections or paras. In the first section you should introduce yourself, in second section you should mention the information about previous work experience in your career, special achievement, and in the last section you should acknowledge and mention when are you available for the interview. In this article, we will learn how to write a cover letter, the format of a cover letter for jobs, templates, letter samples, and cover letter examples.

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What is a Cover Letter?

Cover letter is a letter that goes along with a resume or a CV (traditionally as a cover). In fact, it facilitates us to introduce ourselves in a brief manner and again highlight the skills that might interest the employer.

Learn about Resume Writing here in detail.

Generally, it doesn’t contain information which might not be mentioned in the document that it comes along with. It is important to realize that a cover letter has no individual identity of its own.

In other words, a cover letter is supposed to accompany a CV or a resume. Moreover, one should write a custom cover letter for each job. Remember that the length should never exceed a page, the ideal is being half a page.

Browse more Topics Under Resume Writing

• Essential Elements of a Resume
• Different Formats of a Resume
• Cover letters
• Sample Resumes and Exercises

As a matter of fact, writing a cover letter make a candidate to stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, it gives him the opportunity to reiterate any vital information such as compatible skills that might interest the employer and strengthen his candidature.

Note that, although it acts as a nice tool to include information, no employer wants to dwell into a life story. Hence, a letter should be sweet, precise and to-the-point.

Cover Letter Format

A correct format of a cover letter is very important for your first impression in a job search. Format of a cover letter is very simple, but it is not easy to write a cover letter. You have to make sure you are using right words and phrases. Here are some tips and guide to writing a cover letter in the right way.

Date and Contact Details: Cover letter starts with a date and your contact details. You should mention this on the left side of the letter.

Recipients information: Mention the name and job title of the person to whom you are writing the letter. For example, the name can be Hemant Kumar and job title can be a Hiring Manager or Nikunj Verma, Assistant Director. This will also make the hiring manager feel like something is written especially for him or her.

Salutation: Before you start the letter, address the hiring manager with a salutation like “Dear (Hiring Manager name).” For e.g. “Dear Hemant Kumar”. This is the very first thing the hiring manager will see.

Opening Paragraph: In the first paragraph you introduce yourself, and include for which position you are applying.

Middle Paragraph: In the second paragraph you should give information about your past work experience and career. Also don’t forget to highlight achievements, that will be a plus point.

Last Paragraph: In the last paragraph, you acknowledge the information and tell when are you available for the interview.

End: End the letter with regards and your good name.

Let’s take a cover letter example for a job.

Sample Cover Letter for a Job of Teacher

Here are cover letter samples when you are applying for a job of teacher or coach in any school or colleges.

December 10, 2017

Ted Mosby

Smith College, 250W. 55th Street

New York

mosby@metmotheratlast.com

 

Cat Goddard

Assistant Director

REAL kids/Harlem RBI

333 East, 100th Street

New York, NY 10029

 

Dear Mr. Goddard,

I am a first-year student at Smith College, pleased to apply for the position of teacher with the 2018 REAL kids/Harlem summer program which I saw in your careers database. Armed with my inclination towards youth incubation and team sports, I am drawn towards this position as an opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of the city youth.

I have good experience working with children in arts and athletic settings. As a Coach of Hardball League, I planned practices for beginners which motivated all players to do their best. Again, I worked as an Arts Leader for Fine Arts for Kids in Miami, inculcating in them the lessons or arts and sports, free of cost. The motivation behind this venture was to allow underprivileged children to explore their creative sides without bothering the school’s depleting funds.

As a coach with Harlem League, I would like to share some important lessons and best practices about leadership, group decisions, teamwork and motivation which I have learned so far from my experience. I am really excited about this opportunity to inspire your students to play and grow. I am available for a telephone or face to face interview at your convenience. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Ted Mosby

A Solved Example For You

Q: What should be the length of a cover letter?

Ans: Though the common length is half an A4 page, it should not exceed a single full page.