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2B How To Write A Cover Letter

This document provides tips for writing an effective cover letter when applying for jobs. It recommends doing research on the company and position, focusing the letter on the future and what you can offer the employer, and using a strong opening statement to grab the reader's attention. The letter should emphasize relevant skills and experience, convey enthusiasm for the role, maintain a professional tone, and be concise while highlighting why you are interested in the company and qualified for the job. It also suggests having others review the letter for feedback.

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62 views38 pages

2B How To Write A Cover Letter

This document provides tips for writing an effective cover letter when applying for jobs. It recommends doing research on the company and position, focusing the letter on the future and what you can offer the employer, and using a strong opening statement to grab the reader's attention. The letter should emphasize relevant skills and experience, convey enthusiasm for the role, maintain a professional tone, and be concise while highlighting why you are interested in the company and qualified for the job. It also suggests having others review the letter for feedback.

Uploaded by

tjhunter077
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Pointers in Writing A

Cover Letter
Application Letter
1. Do your research
first.
Find out the company and
the specific job you want.
Read the job description
carefully.
Peruse the company’s
website.
Write a customize letter,
not the generic one.
Know the culture of the
organization you are
applying to.
Take note:
It’s not always possible to
contact someone — or you
may not get a response.
That’s OK. It’s still worth
a try.
2. Focus it on the
future
While your résumé is
meant to be a look back at
your experience and
where you’ve been, the
cover letter should focus
on the future and what
you want to do.
Itcan be helpful to think
of it as the bridge
between the past and the
future that explains what
you hope to do next and
why.
Think of it as an
opportunity to
sell yourself - academic a
chievements, technical sk
ills
, accomplishments, your
trainings and seminars,
3. Lead with a
strong opening
statement
“Start with the punch
line — why this job is
exciting to you and
what you bring to the
table,” says Glickman.
Example:

I’m an environmental
fundraising professional with
more than 15 years of experience
looking for an opportunity to
apply my skills in new ways, and
I’d love to bring my expertise and
enthusiasm to your growing
development team.
Then you can include a
sentence or two about
your background and your
relevant experience, but
don’t rehash or repeat
your résumé.
Say something direct and
dynamic.
For example:
“Let me draw your
attention to two reasons
why I’d be a great addition
to your team.”
4. Emphasize your
personal values,
work ethics and
skills
Talk about how
your experience
has equipped you
to meet those
needs.
You want to
provide evidence of
the things that set
you apart.
Two skills that are relevant
to almost any job right now:
a. adaptability
b. ability to learn quickly
Include these skills in your
cover letter.
5.Convey
enthusiasm and
interest
Hiring managers are going
to go with the candidate
who has made it seem like
this is their dream job. So
make it clear why you wan
t the position
.
Do not bother
applying if you are not
excited about some
aspect of the
company or role.
6.Watch the tone
and avoid sounding
desperate
Do not go
overboard with the
flattery or say
anything you do
not mean.
You do not want your
tone to undermine
your message, so be
professional and
mature.
Agood rule of thumb is to
put yourself in the shoes of
the hiring manager and think
about “the kind of language
that the hiring manager
would use with one of the
company’s customers.”
Itcan be hard to
discern your own tone
in writing, so you may
need to ask someone
to review a draft.
Gallo (2020) quoted Lees
that he often cuts outs
“anything that sounds
like desperation” when
he’s reviewing letters for
clients.
7.Keep it short,
concise and
direct
It should be brief
enough that
someone can read
it at a glance.
You do have to cover a lot of
ground — but you should do it
succinctly. This is where asking
a friend, former colleague, or
mentor to review your letter
can be helpful. Ask them to
read through it and point out
places where you can cut.
8. Get feedback
Be specific about
the kind of
feedback you
want.
First, ask your friend
if it’s clear what your
main point is. What’s
the story you’re
telling? Are they able
to summarize it?
Second, ask them what’s
wrong with the letter. It
should not be attuned to
desperation, overselling,
over-modesty, and
underselling.
They should be able
to point out places
where the tone is
off.
9. Send a brief
follow up email
Try to find someone to
whom you can
send a brief follow-up e
mail
highlighting a few key
points about your
Source:

https://hbr.org/2014/02/how-to-write-a-cover-letter

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