What Is Cover Letter?
If most of us are glad of our work, we don’t prepare a CV and we act like we will always work in that company. When we start to be unhappy because of our work, by saying “I will prepare a CV.”, we write everything in our CV. Actually the one to represent you to employers is your CV. But cover letter is essential for a CV. Therefore, what you write and how you write on CV is quietly important for you.
Cover letter introduces you to the employer and it takes just 1 page. It should complete your CV with its content. As far as possible, don’t digress because the reader’s attention decreases quickly. This letter is an important factor that you give a first impression to the employer, you can use it as a point of impact to inspire interest on the employer and you can prompt him/her to arrange an interview with you. Cover letter isn’t a summary of your CV; it is a part that you describe your qualities and why these qualities are important for the employer.
If you don’t give importance to write a cover letter, you should think one more time. I think you think that Human Resources Department, Managers and consultants don’t have time to read these letters. They look at just your CV. In response to this, according to many researchers, lots of firms which are potential employers, read your cover letter and decide whether you are suitable for the position or not.
To produce an effect on employer, you should overthink and then you should write. You can emphasize your personal and professional features in this writing. This writing is also an indicator how you can organize your ideas and how you can express yourself. You can think cover letter as a stone which is thrown to a sea. It is a starter of big links growing and creating movement.
Before Writing a Cover Letter, What Should We Pay Attention?
Before writing your letter, you should decide how expression strategy you will have. It will help you to be accepted for that job.
- What Does A Potential Employer Need?
Which characteristics, skills, experiences and information of you will provide an advantage for you to be accepted for that job?
- What Is Your Aim?
You apply for a position that you are interested in. Why do you apply? Arrange an interview? Obtain information about suitable positions of company?
- Which characteristics will you feature?
If you apply for a job advertisement, you should feature your characteristics which are related to that job advertisement.
- Why do you want to work in that company?
What do you know about the company? How can you associate the company’s vision, organizational cultures, aims and philosophy with your values, past experiences and aims?
If you decide how you can reply these questions, you can start to write your cover letter.
How to format a cover letter?
A cover letter should have introduction – body – conclusion paragraphs as other writings.
- Introduction Paragraph:
In this part, you should introduce yourself to the employer, you should use short sentences and you should mention about yourself, and you should mention where you see that job advertisement. You can express why you apply that work by sending your CV. If it is an advertisement application, you should express which characteristics you have about that position, if it isn’t an advertisement application, if it is a general application, you can express your career expectations by touching briefly.
- Body Paragraph:
You should inspire interest why you are interested in that application, which characteristics of you will provide an advantage for them, why you should be evaluated about this work by touching briefly your past experiences, your past successes. In this part, by starting from your past experiences, then if it is necessary, you can describe your characteristics in detail. Then you can attract the employer’s notice by describing about your characteristics which are related to this work, why you are suitable for this work.
- Conclusion Paragraph:
In this part, you can mention about your information about the company, the conclusions which you want to reach. You can write the aim part of cover letter as a paragraph or a list. You can use your information about the company while you express why you choose them and why you want to work with them. We should show that you have information about everything which concerns company’s workers and people who are willing to work like company’s references at market, sales figures or endorsement, company size (both in Turkey and in abroad), company culture and management philosophy, etc. In this way, applied companies can think that you prefer them especially. And so your writing can reach its aim easily.
Last sentence shouldn’t be a part that you thank. This part is also a place that you give information about contacting with you. You can add your phone number, e-mail address and other contact information.
Before sending your cover letter, you should read it one more time. When it is necessary, you should correct your grammar and punctuation marks mistakes. But if you complete all of steps, you can sign your cover letter and you can apply for that job.
If you want, you can look at this example;
More Cover Letter Examples and Templates
With these cover letter examples and templates, you will be able to write well letters. You will find lots of cover letter types. Look at them and organize your letter.
Applying For a New Job
When you apply for a new job, you feel yourself excitedly and also happily. If you need a cover letter for a new job, you can find so many examples of cover letter.
Cover Letter Examples for a Resume
Cover Letter Examples Matched To a Job
Academic
Cold Contact
Job Application Letter
Applying For a Transfer or a Promotion
Cover letters can be written also for a transfer or a promotion. If your employer values you, maybe he/she can give a promotion to you.
Job Promotion
Job Transfer Request Letter
