What is a Cover Letter?
A ‘Cover Letter’ is a marketing cum introductory tool that introduces the applicant to the employer. It brings out the most vital qualifications, skills and experiences that are difficult to convey through the resume. It is also used to answer important questions which the employer will want answers to, such as:
Which position are you applying for?
Why do you wish to work with this particular company?
Why should you be selected over other candidates?
Why are there any faults or discrepancies in your Resume (gap years or lack of work experience etc.)?
How will you contribute towards the company’s growth?
Are there any additional skills/qualifications/experiences you possess that you haven’t mentioned in your Resume? How will they help you perform better on the job?
Why are Cover Letters important?
Students and even professionals often underestimate the importance of an effective and impressive Cover Letter while applying for jobs. Cover Letters are perceived to be mere introductory letters that do not have an impact on the fate of your job application. However, this is far from the truth.
The reality is that an employer forms his/her first impression of an applicant solely on the basis of the Cover Letter. A cover letter can provide a perspective to the employer about you and make reading the resume more insightful.
So even though you might have worked extremely hard on creating an effective and impressive Resume, there is a strong chance that it will not even be read by the employer if your Cover Letter isn’t good enough.
What should I include in the Cover Letter?
Essentially, you should focus on your most – sellable qualities in the Cover Letter. If you’ve been an extraordinary student, you should mention that. If you have extensive internship experience, then mention that along with what you achieved and learnt during the internships.
You should also address the needs of the company through the Cover Letter. In case you’re applying in response to an advertisement or vacancy, then specify how you meet or even exceed the mentioned job requirements in the advertisement.
If you’re applying without a specified vacancy, then address how the company’s philosophy and ways of working align with your skills, qualifications and interests. Talk about how you will be a perfect fit at the company and the ways in which you can contribute. Persuade them into believing that you know their company very well and would find it easy to fit in and perform at your maximum right from the word go.
Do not turn your Cover Letter into a summary of your Resume. Don’t include each experience or qualification you’ve mentioned in your Resume in the Cover Letter as well. This will make your Resume seem less impressive. Rather, focus on your Resume’s USP and any additional qualities that you possess but have not mentioned in your Resume.
Should a Cover Letter be sent with every Resume?
Yes. Whenever possible, you must attach a Cover Letter with your Resume. A Cover Letter will provide you with the opportunity to address the Hiring Manager or Employer directly thus providing you with an additional tool to convince him/her to invite you for an interview.
We strongly recommend you to send a Cover Letter even when it has not been asked for, as it can only improve your chances of getting an interview. However, do not send a Cover Letter when the company or employer has specifically asked applicants to not do so.
How long should a Cover Letter be?
Most employers/Hiring Managers will not spend more than a few seconds on your Cover Letter. Hence, it is absolutely vital that your Cover Letter should not be more than 1 page. As a matter of fact, the ideal length of a Cover Letter is around 3/4th of a page.
Write short paragraphs that are easy to read and skim through. The best Cover Letter is the one which includes the most vital information, not the one which include the most information.
Is there any Cover Letter format I should follow?
Most candidates today follow a 3 – 4 short paragraph format for Cover Letters. This is easy to read and fits into 1 page.
Essentially, in the first paragraph, you will address the person the Cover Letter is meant for and specify the position or job you’re applying for. Use this paragraph to grab attention by addressing the needs of the employer straight away. Talk about your understanding of the company and why you think you will be a great fit.
The second and third paragraphs are the most important parts of your Cover Letter. In these paragraphs, you will talk about your skills, qualifications and attributes. Use these paragraphs to show how you meet the job requirements and shed light on your most sellable qualities. You can also use these paragraphs to justify any faults in your Resume or mention any additional qualities you possess.
The last paragraph of the Cover Letter is the one in which you give your contact information and ideally thank the reader for their time and attention. It is best to end on an active note and specify the mode of future communication between you and the reader (phone/E – mail). You should also mention whether you will contact the reader or whether you will wait for the reader to contact you.
Who should I address the Cover Letter to?
It is best to address the Cover Letter directly to the person in charge of recruitment or the person who’s responsible for short listing candidates for interviews. Go through the job advertisement (if any) and see if there’s a name mentioned to which you’re supposed to address your job applications to. Alternatively, you can go through the company’s website or call them and find out the name of the person in charge of recruitment. This will most likely be the HR (Human Resources) Manager.
Suppose the person you’re supposed to address your Cover Letter to is called Ravi Subramaniam. First, you must mention his name, post and company name on your Cover Letter’s top – left hand corner.
While beginning your Cover Letter, do not start by writing ‘Dear Ravi’ or ‘Dear Ravi Subramaniam’. Informal salutations like ‘Hi Ravi’ are also strongly advised against. The ideal way to address him will be in a formal and respectful manner such as, ‘Dear Mr. Subramaniam’.
In a situation where you cannot figure out who to address the Cover Letter to, do not start your letter by writing, ‘To Whom It May Concern’ or ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Sirs’. Such statements will go against you. Rather, begin by saying ‘Dear HR Manager’. You can also address the Cover Letter to your Department Head. If you’re applying for a sales job, you can start your Cover Letter by writing, ‘Dear Sales Manager’.
What should be the tone of the Cover Letter?
Ideally, you should be friendly but formal in your Cover Letter. Do not use slangs or inappropriate words and be as formal and to the point as possible. However, this does not mean that you try and impress the reader by using unnecessary and complicated words or by being rude.
End the Cover Letter on an active note by specifying your contact details (in case you’ve not mentioned them before). It is best to take initiative and tell the reader that you will contact them to discuss the possibility of an interview within a week or two. Also specify that they can contact you anytime before that.
Thank the reader for their time and attention and sign off in a formal manner by writing, ‘Yours Sincerely’ or ‘Best Regards’ followed by your full name. Any other salutations are highly advised against.
Should I send one generic Cover Letter to all the companies I’m applying to? This will save me a lot of time!
A common Cover Letter with general statements will make you seem like a candidate who just wants ‘a job’ and not ‘that job’.
You must customize a Cover Letter as much as possible. Talk about how the company requires an employee like you and how you can contribute towards solving that specific company’s problems.
It is not a bad idea to research a little bit about the company and its activities before you write the Cover Letter. This will help you customize your Cover Letter as per that company’s needs and requirements and increase your employability.
