Writing a Cover Letter Yourself

Aside from your resume, writing a cover letter is a must as you apply for a job.It’s true that cover letters are the best tools to get you a job interview. A good cover letter can pique the interest of a potential employer, even before they have browsed through your resume.

The primary sections of a cover letter are the heading, body and the closing. The heading includes the date and the salutation. It is necessary that you close your cover letter with your signature.

The most important part of the letter is the body, which is about three spaces below the heading. In this paragraph you should incorporate some highlights from your resume that demonstrate how qualified you are for the position. It's key here to keep in mind that you don't need to write your resume word for word. Only highlight those parts that pertain to the job. This is where you really sell yourself. This is the paragraph where you should dress it up to impress. Put yourself in the employer shoes, and ask yourself if you meet the company's needs and how you meet them. Chances are this will be your longest paragraph but don't get too carried away. There is no need for the employer to know that you volunteer at your local community center every weekend teaching young kids how to play ball. Remember, these employers are looking for that one person who best fits their needs. Use this paragraph to show them that you are exactly what they are looking for.

Be brief but polite. Businesses are very busy, and they have only a few people to sift through thousands of letters every day. Grab attention by being very brief. Introduce yourself in one sentence, state your interest in the job posted in another sentence, and state what you have attached to the cover letter in the third. Brevity is indeed the soul of wit – it can also be the key to that job.

Sign your name above your printed name. This shows that you are not sending out the same letter to thousands of other companies – and it shows that each letter has your personal touch. Remember, a company will not care about who you are and what you know – until it knows that you care about the company first.

Writing the cover letter is a manageable thing. You are not writing for a literary contest. All you need is to know what to highlight and address. With these objectives in mind, you can easily find your way in writing a good cover letter.