Whether you're a recent graduate or someone who's been in the workforce for many years, you've probably had to write a cover letter at some point. A cover letter is different from a resume in that it accompanies it rather than replaces it.

A cover letter is written to accompany a resume and serves as an introduction to a potential employer. Your cover letter is your chance to show a potential employer who you are beyond the points on your resume. It should be short, but still, give enough information about who you are and why you would be a great fit for the job.

A good cover letter can be the difference between landing an interview and getting passed over.

Cover letters are a vital component of the job application process and can help you stand out from other applicants. So it's necessary to put some effort into writing an amazing cover letter. But how do you write an effective cover letter? We'll walk you through the steps to make it easy.

Research the company and the job position:

Research the company and the job position: Before you begin writing, do some research on the company and the job position. This will help you tailor your cover letter in a way that reflects what they are looking for in an employee. It will also show that you are serious about this position and that you want to get it more than other applicants.

Start by reading through the job posting carefully to get every detail about the position, the requirements, and the company information.

Find out as much about the company as possible. Look at their website and social media profiles and see what they have to say about themselves. Also review press releases and news stories about them, and research potential competitors. This will give you some insight into their culture, values, and goals so that when you write your letter, you can connect your own goals with theirs.

Determine the most appropriate format:

Some companies have a specific format they prefer for their cover letters; if this is the case, make sure you check before sending them any materials. If no particular format was specified, then consider sending an email with your resume attached rather than mailing a hard copy in an envelope. This makes it easier for employers to quickly scan through applications and reduces postage costs for both parties.

Write your letter

Contact section:

The contact section of a cover letter is the place to share your contact information. This includes your address, phone number, and email address. You could also include your social media accounts as well. While this is optional, you may want to include it if you're applying for a job that requires you to be on social media often or if they have mentioned the use of social media in their job description. If you decide to include your social media accounts, add your LinkedIn or Twitter account, or both.

Keep in mind that employers are looking for candidates who are professional and reliable — so don't add personal information like your marital status or age to this section.

Place the information below in the contact section at the top left corner of your cover letter;

[Your Full Name]

[Your Job Title]

[Street,]

[City, State]

[Phone Number]

[Email]

[LinkedIn Profile]

[City, Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]

[Hiring Manager’s Job Title]

[Company Name]

[Street,]

City, State]

If you were sending your cover letter as an email, you can place your contact details under the signature section. So you’ll have;

[Signature]

[Phone Number]

[Email]

[LinkedIn Profile]

Use a professional salutation:

Determine who will be receiving your application package (proper etiquette dictates that you address each person individually) and address them accordingly. Find out the hiring manager's name and use it in the salutation. This will help you connect with them better.

Put some effort into getting the name of the right person to address your cover letter to. Begin with checking the job ad to see if you could find a name or title associated with it. You could also try to see if there’s a name associated with the email address that you’re supposed to send your application to – if there is a name, then you can address your letter to that name in your salutation, or use it to search for the person on LinkedIn to confirm the proper way to write their name when addressing your letter.

In addition, you can check the company’s about page or team page on their website to find the name of the HR, or someone that’s leading the department you want to get into. If all of these do not work, you can reach out to the company to ask for the name of a person you can address your letter to.

Here are examples of proper salutations:

●     Dear Sara, (where you can use this form of salutation depends on the culture of the company)

●     Dear Sara Cooper,

●     Dear Ms. Cooper,

●     Dear Dr. James Chandler

●     Dear Dr. Chandler

In the event that you were unable to get the hiring manager's name, you can use this salutation:

●     Dear Hiring Manager,

●     Dear [Company] Hiring Manager,

●     Dear [ABC Team] Hiring Manager,

●     Dear Recruiter,

●     Dear Recruiting Manager,

●     Dear HR Manager,

●     Dear HR,

●     Dear [Department] Manager,

●     Dear [title of the person you would be reporting to],

●     Dear Hiring Team,

Avoid using generic salutations like:

●     Dear Sir or Madam,

●     To Whom It May Concern,

●     Dear [Company Name] Team,

Body Section:

First paragraph (Compelling intro):

Write an attention-grabbing first paragraph. This is the intro to your cover letter and it determines whether the hiring manager will continue reading or not, so you want to make it so compelling that it reels them in, and make them want to read more.

You can create a catchy introduction by highlighting your achievement (that's relevant to the role you're applying for), emphasizing your enthusiasm (employers are looking for passionate employees), or showing how well you know your prospective employer’s needs (instantly indicating that you've made an effort to research the company).

Second paragraph (Show them why you are a perfect fit for the company):

Expand on your qualifications, particularly skills that make you an ideal candidate for the company based on the job requirements in the job ad. Demonstrate how you've put those skills to use in the past and the outcomes you achieved. You can itemize examples of your achievements in bullet points, and use numbers to quantify your achievements. Avoid vague statements.

It's important to remember that you're not just stating random achievements to brag, rather you're highlighting specific relevant achievements to show the hiring manager how you can meet their specific needs for that job position based on what you've achieved before.

Third paragraph (Tell them about why you're interested in the job):

After explaining why you're a perfect fit for the position in the previous paragraph, it's time to tell the hiring manager why you're interested in this job. Tell them why you want to join the company Remember employers want employees who are passionate about what they do.

You can briefly write about your motivation for joining the company or applying for the job position by highlighting a major objective the company is trying to achieve, an upcoming project that the company will be embarking upon, a major project they’re working on, or an important fact about the company. Then explain how it intersects with your interests and objectives. Finally, emphasize that you’d love to use your skill and expertise to help them work on the company project or goal you highlighted earlier.

Final paragraph (Closing):

You've done a great job so far catching the interest of the hiring manager with your intro, showing them why you're a perfect fit for the role, and telling them your motivation for applying for this role, now you have to close your cover letter powerfully.

You'll do this with a persuasive call to action, not by pleading for them to review your application or writing some other generic closing statements. You want to close your letter in a way that gets the hiring manager excited about extending an interview invitation to you.
In your call to action, you'd want to tell the hiring manager that you look forward to meeting them to discuss how your past experience and knowledge can help the organization achieve the specific goals for which they are trying to hire.

Signature:

Finally, finish your letter with a formal sign-off. You can use any of the sign-offs below and write your full name beneath it.

●     Thank you,

●     Best regards,

●     Kind regards,

●     Thank you for your consideration,

●     Regards,

●     Sincerely,

●     With best regards.

●     Yours truly,

●     Respectfully yours.

●     Sincerely yours,

Including a handwritten signature is optional when sending your cover letter electronically via email, or other online submission methods, while it's necessary to append your signature when submitting hard copy cover letters.

Here are some important tips to consider when writing your cover letter:

●     Be concise:
 Keep your cover letter short but informative. Your resume should explain everything in detail, so there is no need to repeat all of that information in your cover letter. Focus on why you would excel at this position, instead of listing all of your past accomplishments.

●     Include relevant keywords:
If you're applying online, the computer will scan your application for certain keywords that match its job description. Make sure that these words are in your cover letter (and resume). For example, if you're applying for a job as a salesperson and it says "proficiency with Microsoft Word" or "expertise in Excel," make sure those are included in your cover letter.

●     Avoid cliches:
 Don't use phrases like "I am confident I have all of the necessary skills" or "I look forward to meeting with you." Instead, include examples from previous work experiences that highlight why you're qualified for the position at hand. Be sure to focus on what specifically makes you stand out from other candidates rather than simply listing off accomplishments.

●     Include all required information in your cover letter:
A recruiter might specifically request certain information included in your cover letter. Be sure to follow such instructions and include the required information. It could be as simple as using a specific sentence in your subject line when sending your cover letter via email.

Edit and proofread carefully:

You should always proofread any document before sending it out. It's easy to miss mistakes when you're rushing or tired, so this step is critical! Make sure that your spelling and grammar are correct before you send out an application package. If you're unsure about anything, ask someone else for help or proofread again after you've rested for a while. It can also be useful to have someone else read over your letter before sending it out so they can point out any mistakes that you may have missed during proofreading.

Cover letter template:

[Your Full Name]

[Your Job Title]

[Street,]

[City, State]

[Phone Number]

[Email]

[LinkedIn Profile]

[City, Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]

[Hiring Manager’s Job Title]

[Company Name]

[Street,]

[City, State]

Dear [Mr.\Mrs.\Dr] [Hiring Manager’s Last Name],

First paragraph should contain a catchy introduction that’ll make them want to read more. Highlight an interesting achievement that’s relevant to the role, emphasize your enthusiasm for the job position and what the company does, or show them how well you know the company’s needs.

The second paragraph should show why you’re a perfect fit for the job. Demonstrate that you can meet the company’s specific needs for that job position. In the first sentence, briefly show that you’re an expert in your field. Subsequent sentences should describe how your previous job experiences and skills will enable you meet the company’s specific needs (based on what’s in the job description) for that job position in order to achieve their goals.

• You can include a bullet list of relevant accomplishments or results you’ve gotten that demonstrates your expertise and capacity to meet the company’s specific needs

• Use numbers to quantify your achievements or results

• Stick with just few bullet points. Only include the most relevant achievements that show that you’re the perfect fit for the job

The third paragraph should tell the hiring managers why you’re interested in the job. Briefly write about your motivation for joining the company or applying for the job position. Highlight a major project the company is working on, or a major goal they’re trying to accomplish, or an upcoming project that interest you. Tell them how it intersects with your interests and objectives. Finally, emphasize that you’d love to use your skill and expertise to help them work on the company project or goal you highlighted earlier.

In the final paragraph close with a persuasive call to action that’ll make the hiring manager want to invite you for an interview. Let the hiring manager know that you look forward to meeting them to discuss how your past experience and knowledge can help the organization achieve the specific goals for which they are trying to hire.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

NB: If you’re sending the cover letter as an email, you can place your contact details beneath your name and signature.

Wrap-up:

Writing an effective cover letter means taking an active role in your job search. It's not just about submitting the necessary documents, it's about making a good first impression and giving the hiring manager a reason to want to learn more about you.

Your cover letter is a great chance to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job, explain why you're a great fit, and introduce yourself professionally. Take advantage of this opportunity, because as far as your potential employer is concerned, this document may be all they have to go on during the initial screening process. Therefore, it's absolutely critical that you get your cover letter right!