Writing a Good Cover Letter – Three Suggestions That Will Get You Started

Every resume that you send to a prospective employer should be accompanied by a good cover letter. Are you willing to work at finding a job? Along with an effective resume, a good cover letter can set you apart from other job candidates. How can you be certain that the letter you write is going to get the job done? These suggestions should get you off to a good start.

The cover letter you send should be addressed to a specific individual. A little research may be required, but it is important to personally address the individual who will be deciding who to call for an interview. Avoid using “To Whom It May Concern” as the addressee in the letter.

Keep the end goal in mind. The objective of the cover letter and your resume is to get the prospective employer to call you requesting an interview. You must tell this person the reasons why you can add value to their company and how you are qualified to accomplish this. Be direct in your approach, because you don’t want to put them to sleep as they’re reading your cover letter.

Do not make the letter all about you. You will present information about yourself, true, but you also need to add how you can be a valuable asset to their company with your specific talents and experience. You will need to be sufficiently informed about the company to effectively explain how your experience and skill set will help them.

You will need to determine what the employer wants from the person in the position you’re applying for when you compose the cover letter. If you feel you can meet those requirements, tell them about yourself and what you can do for them. This is what they really want to know.