Introduction
A covering letter for a CV is a one-page note, like an introductory message introducing the candidate to the employer. It is like a full-fledged advertising campaign to grab eyeballs by highlighting your best qualities and abilities required for the job. The primary purpose of a cover letter is to impress the reader with the skills mentioned and bag an interview.
Writing a cover letter is an art that every candidate must master to edge over their competitors. Writing a customized and targeted cover letter for CV will increase your chances of getting a response from the employer. Here is a guide with 12 cover letter examples for you to enhance your chances of getting shortlisted among thousands of applicants. This guide will help you brush up on your cover letter writing skills and craft the best cover letter for your CV.
Contents of a cover letter
Creating anything is an art, and so is crafting a cover letter. You will hold yourself in good stead if you make calculated use of structure. The structure will not only provide aesthetic merit to your cover letter but will also make it perspicuous. Usually, a cover letter for CV is written in five parts. Follow the below-mentioned steps to know the mechanics of a winning cover letter:
- Salutation
The idea behind writing a cover letter for CV is to grab the employer’s attention towards you. It’s aimed at generating interest from the hiring manager. So if you go in with a cliché respected sir/ma’am, the entire purpose of writing a cover letter is lost. So get a name, any name by hook or by crook. It’s always better to address the letter to a person than the typical “to whom it may concern.”
- The opening paragraph
The opening paragraph provides your introduction along with the information regarding the position you are applying for. You should also add your competencies and strengths that will make you a suitable candidate for the job.
For example,
“I am excited to be applying for the post of (name of the post) with (name of company). The enclosed resume will help you learn how I transformed an under-performing and took it to new heights. With the help of my creative ability and critical thinking skills, I managed to increase productivity and sales by 25% substantially. I know I can put my skills to best use in facilitating the company’s sustained growth.”
- The paragraph of hook
As the name suggests, this paragraph is targeted to get the reader hooked to reading your CV. This paragraph should further highlight the achievements that you have mentioned in your CV. A cover letter for CV is an extension of your resume. It should add to the points by highlighting your strengths and abilities further. You can also use bullets to give it a more clean look.
- The paragraph of knowledge
This paragraph is mainly to show the interviewer about your knowledge of the company. It is primarily to show that you have researched well and did your homework before applying for the post. Demonstrate the knowledge that you have gathered from your research that prompted you to write.
For example
“After some research, I learned about the (name of institution) goal of promoting and implementing comprehensive education where students from a diverse diaspora can learn and grow together. Your recent step in reserving some seats and providing free enrolment to the bright students from marginalized sections is praiseworthy. Given my experience in comprehensive education in an urban setting as well as semi-urban will help you quickly achieve your goals.”
- The closing paragraph
The closing paragraph is all about summarising. Summarise your qualities by mentioning what you can offer the company and close by suggesting that you look forward to a meeting. You can also choose to indicate that you’d follow up with a call in a certain number of days and make sure to call after those many days.
Okay, now we have discussed all the essential parts of any cover letter for CV. Of course, a different salutation will draw the reader’s attention, but a solid and catchy introduction will intrigue the interviewer. He’d like to know more about you as he reads further, and with a reliable and confident closing, he’d be interested in learning more about you in person.
Cover letter writing guide
The covering letter for CV helps the candidate introduce himself personally yet memorable to the employer. A well-tailored cover letter covers and expands on all the important points mentioned in your resume. It also provides contexts for your previous posts, responsibilities, and achievements and explains your enthusiasm for joining the company.
Planning goes a long way in the accomplishment of your goals. A good planner has high rates of success. Hence, it’s better and even advisable that you put some time and thoughts into planning your cover letter for CV to demonstrate and highlight your most authentic self and yet pique an employer’s interest.
Your cover letter should tell your story in a clear, concise way. It should highlight instances from your professional life to show how you can add value and help the company achieve its goals. Research shows that three things must be included in your CV. These three things are:
- how your experience aligns with the job requirements
- how your skills match desired skill set for the post
- your reasons to choose to work with the company
Provide all this information to convince the reader that you are the right person for the job. Then, follow the below-mentioned tips to learn how you can incorporate these three things in your CV.
- Pick the right tone
Your tone may break or make your way to the company. Be yourself but be on the safer side; always research the company to get an idea of the tone you want to use. The tone of your cover letter may differ significantly on the company and industry you are applying for.
- Give a visual format
Craft your covering letter for CV with a unique visual format. This will help you stand out from other candidates in a positive way. Ensure that the format you are using is appropriate for the company and industry you are applying for.
- Address the recruiter by name
Most people address the recruiter as “dear sir/madam” or “to whom it may concern.” Spend some time researching who you are managing to be. You may have to make a few phone calls and try different ways and methods to get the name right, and even if you don’t get the right word, it’s still going to be better than addressing using one of those cliché phrases.
- Show your problem solving ability
Please read the job description and requirements thoroughly and compare your skills with them. Then, spend some time brainstorming which competencies you want to share and what experiences you want to highlight. For example, saying you are a problem solver will not be as helpful as demonstrating how you employ those problem-solving skills with the help of a model. You can also outline how you can help solve a problem that the company is currently facing.
A good story is pleasant to everyone’s ears, and hiring managers and recruiters are no exception to this. To make your cover letter memorable, add specific and compelling stories for your professional life. Ensure that the stories you choose to tell align with the job requirements, i.e., they demonstrate specific skills, tools, and concepts required for the job.
- Be honest
Your dishonesty on your cover letter for CV will cost you your credibility and reliability at the very first stage. It isn’t in your best interest. Stating and highlighting a skill that you don’t possess is going to come back and bite you.
- Be different
You must stand out when you are applying for a post where a thousand others will be applying. Using a cover letter template doesn’t mean you copy the exact words and phrases. Hiring managers won’t be interested in reading the same thing over and over again, and your resume may get rejected after the first few lines. Hence, even though you choose to use a cover letter template, try to make it your own by incorporating phrases and descriptive words that suit your personality.
Here are some phrases that annoy recruiters that you might want to avoid:
- To whom it may concern
- I’m not sure if you know
- Dynamic
- Please feel free
- Significant
- Detail-oriented
- Self-starter
- Forward-thinker etc
- Be specific
Now, your covering letter for CV is not a story being sent out for a writing competition. Hence, you don’t need to use flowery language and write to the point. Be succinct. No need to include irrelevant information in your cover letter for your CV. Such things can bore and cause the reader to miss essential points on your CV.
- A proper call to action
A good call to action must be polite and open-ended. It suggests that you are excited to face them and offer more information regarding yourself (given that they are also interested in knowing more about you). It also gives the recruiter a reason to contact you.
Sentences like “I’ll call to schedule an interview.” cross a boundary and won’t go positively in your favor. Instead, use “I’ll follow up with a call after a week to know about the progress of my resume.”
- Proofread
Proofread your cover letter for any mistakes and grammatical errors. Proofreading also includes omitting irrelevant and adding relevant information instead.
- Use a template
It’s a good idea to use a cover letter template if you’re starting anew and especially if you have used one for your resume as well. A template gives structure and cleanness to your cover letter for CV.
Cover letter examples
Now that we have discussed what goes into a covering letter for CV and craft the best cover letter. Here is a list of common cover letter examples and cover letter templates that can come in handy when you sit to craft your cover letter.
This cv template is for an experienced candidate. The template has specific sections where he can mention his earlier positions and achievements. He can also easily highlight his educational qualifications and, using the cover letter template, can also highlight his skills as per the job requirement.
- This is an example of a copywriter’s cover letter. Since this job is all about your writing skills, you must highlight your flair for writing and your competency and expertise with words.
- As an editor, you will have to showcase your competency with the language as well as with the print media business. Highlight your team spirit and leadership skills. Use a lot of I phrases and highlight your achievements and results with strong digits.
- One of the most important times you will be drafting your resume will be as a fresh graduate. With limited or no experience, you must prepare your cover letter for CV and resume in a way that bags you an interview.
- Cover letter example for career change
- Cover letter example for PhD
- Internship cover letter example
- Cover letter for a librarian
- Cover letter for restaurant manager
- Cover letter for web developer
- Cover letter for a legal assistant
- Cover letter example for project manager
Conclusion
This article makes you aware of the importance of a well-tailored cover letter for CV and the process and method of crafting one that highlights and outshines your qualities as per the job requirement. The above 12 examples will also suffice you in drafting your cover letter for CV with utmost care and accuracy. You can use these cover letter examples and templates to elevate your appeal and bag an interview. So go ahead and draft your winning cover letter.
More Resources : Key Skills in Resume for Freshers and Experienced | Top Skills IT Engineers can Include in their Resume | Top Skills You Can Include in Your Resume | How to List Technical Skills on a Resume
