How to write a cover letter
Most employers will agree that to land the job you want, you’ll need to have both a standout CV and standout cover letter. Your prospective employer is going to read your cover letter before looking at your CV. This means your cover letter is actually more important than your CV to some degree.
A good cover letter should make the reader want to see your CV.
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter is a business document that’s usually submitted with a CV when applying for a job. It outlines your skills and experience and tells employers why you are the right person for the position. Unlike in a CV, a cover letter gives you the opportunity to provide more details about your professional background and your unique skill set.
The Design
Again, just like a CV, a cover letter is also made of sections which are usually about seven and formatted in a particular way.
1. Contact Information: Always list your contact information in the cover letter header to make it as visible as possible. Your name should be on the top left corner of the page and your contact details should be on the top right corner of the page.
2. Todays' date: You will begin to write your cover letter days before you actually send it so make sure you update the date to the day you send the letter.
The date should be on the left of the page below your name.
3. Employers address: The should go under the date on the left side of the page. It should contain the name of the hiring manager, their job title and the address of the company. It is important to address the letter to a particular individual by name and title.
This will give your letter more impact. The first two lines of your letter should also be an acknowledgement of who you are addressing.
Your Name
Goes here.
Your Address
Goes here.
4. Salutation & greeting: This also goes on the left side of the page under the address. A salutation or greeting is the beginning of your address to the person responsible for hiring. It should start always with "Dear Mr., Mrs., Doctor or professor. Try your best to find out the name of the person you are addressing the letter to. This carries a lot of weight.
5. The main body: This is your actual letter. It should be made up of 3 - 4 paragraphs which contain a maximum of four sentences each. One of the middle paragraphs should be a list of bullet points which highlight your best achievements.
Starting the letter can be a bit challenging so we advise that you do some research on the company you are applying to. Look at their website for company info. Take note of their recent achievement or expansions. These are very good ice breakers when starting a cover letter.
For example you might start the letter by saying, 'Dear Mr. Banda, I was intrigued by the announcement of your company expansion on your website's news section and would like to be part of a growing organization.... etc.
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6. Sign Off: At the end of your letter you are required to end the letter in a professional manner. This is where you put the prefix "Yours Sincerely" followed by your name just below. This should also be on the left hand side of the page.
7. Your Signature: Your signature should be the only word which is hand written on the page. It should go under your name on the left side of the page. A handwritten signature is important because it proves that you are the one who personally wrote and endorsed your cover letter.
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