What to Include in a Cover Letter

Switching jobs is not an easy task, especially in this economy. More often than not, job search becomes a job in itself. There is a need to spend a lot of time searching for the right opportunity and you need to be patient even if you have the right skills. The most essential tools during a job search are your Resume or CV and the cover letter. Companies look for a sharp cover letter even before they read your CV; if that is not good enough your application will be rejected; such is the importance of cover letter.

What Is A Cover Letter?
It is a document that you send when you apply for a particular job, it is usually sent with your CV. This cover letter will be a maximum of one page and will give an overview of your experience and skills. It is used to highlight areas of your specialization that will make you the right fit for the job you are applying.

A Cover Letter Usually Contains
An introduction: Mention your personal details in the heading area of the cover letter, the same way as you start your CV. Do a research on whom you are writing to, you can check LinkedIn or the company website and address the letter accordingly. Begin the paragraph by stating the position you are applying for and then how you got to know about it. Next, write about your educational qualification, expertise, more about your career.
Statements which describes why you are the right fit: After introducing yourself, now it’s time to sell yourself by writing what makes you think you are a good candidate for this job. Mention your previous experience, skill sets and job descriptions that will highlight that your work suits the company’s needs.
Conclusion: Mention in the final paragraph how you will love to hear from them and end with your name.

Tips To Write An Effective Cover Letter
Don’t copy your CV: The information that you have in your CV should be different from what you write in the cover letter. You should not be mentioning about dates and where you worked but instead concentrate on what you achieved.
Showcase your skills: Showoff the skills that you are good at, a cover letter is a great way to highlight your skills and draw the attention of the reader to specific areas of your resume.
Take snippets from your JD: Though it is not recommended to copy your CV, it is ok to pick specific words from the job description which can showcase your skills and expertise obtained working in previous companies.
Conclude strongly: Ensure that you end your cover story strongly and also mention why you should be given a chance to work in that company.
Keep it crisp: The optimal length of a cover letter is about half a page to a max of 1 page. The document should be crisp and to the point, as the recruiters have no time to read stories. The document should be formatted using a good font and spellings and grammar should be checked before sending it out.