A cover letter is a one-page advertorial or a salesman letter used to sell yourself and your expertise to employers or recruiters. Download a sample cover letter here (doc)
This informative article have been carefully researched out and written to give insightful tips on:
Why application letters are tools that downgrade your personality as a job seeker
What cover letters are and why they are your best bet.
Also, these links below gives you fresh update on career related information.
4 CV writing tips that increases your chances of getting the job
What employers and recruiters are looking for
Appearance at interviews, top most asked interview questions to expect and apt answers with analysis to reply with.
Now, why are cover letters gradually replacing application letters?
It starts with the documents that represent you
One of the fastest way to get employment is to have the understanding of these 3 documents: Application letter, Cover letter, CV or Resume.
All you need is a chance to be interviewed by employers or recruiters. Understanding these 3 documents above can get you that chance.
Application Letters
This is going to be straight to the point. Application letter is more or less a beggar’s letter. It most times contains words like “I hereby apply for so so so post”.
An application letter is a specific type of letter that’s common when it comes to hunting jobs, but they can also go with applications for admissions to schools, applications for grants etc.
True, job application letters talks about you but in a different tone. Application letters downgrades your personality as employers/recruiters will see you as someone begging for money under the guide of employment.
This letter is fading out. You need something more, a document to advertise you and your skills out there – cover letters.
Cover letters
A cover letter is a one-page advertorial or a salesman letter used to sell yourself and your expertise to employers or recruiters.
It is also a formal letter with your information at the top right corner of the page and the recipient’s information at the left, slightly below your details.
A cover letter is essentially like the book cover for the rest of your job application. Like a book cover, it should capture the reader’s attention and convince him that it’s worth taking the time to turn the page.
Cover letters aren’t just for job applications, although this is the context many people think of when they hear the term. Cover letters can be used on any collection of documents or media for the purpose of describing reasons for sending them.
When it comes to applying for jobs, cover letters can fall into two categories: Letters of application — for open positions — and letters of inquiry, which express interest in an organization when you’re not sure if there are any openings.
Addressing cover letters
Which one would you accept; a letter addressed to you (with your name, indicating your gender and office) or one from someone who doesn’t even know if you’re a man or woman?
What I’m saying is if the office of the Governor of Lagos state – Akinwumi Ambode received a letter addressed as:
The Governor,
Akinwumi Ambode,
And the next thing is:
Dear Sir/Mar,
Do you think the content of the letter will be acknowledged? You must make your own research to know your recipients by gender and names in the right order.
For example, writing to the ex-president Jonathan Goodluck in lieu of Goodluck Jonathan will mean that you’re writing an entirely different person).
Download a sample cover letter here (doc)
Cover letter is the reason why employers look at your CV. Why? CV’s look alike but cover letters don’t. Cover letters sell you and your expertise as a unique individual.
Types of Cover Letters
There are 2 types of cover letters. One is addressed to the Human Resource Manager (HRM) of the organization you wish to work, sequel to a vacancy advertorial that might have been published by the organization.
The other one is called a speculative cover letter. Here, you don’t know if there’s a vacancy, so you send a speculative cover letter to the M.D of the organization. Do not state the position you’re aiming for (e.g Account Officer Position, etc.). It’s not a vacancy; you’re just trying out your luck.
Cover Letter Sample – How it should communicate to employers
As said earlier, a cover letter is a salesman letter, one with which you sell your expertise to employers or recruiters even in your absence.
A cover letter should speak about you and your expertise as may be relevant to the organization.
For example, if you’re skilled/have been trained as marketer your cover letter should be about you and marketing and how you intend to add value to that organization in that sense.
If it’s teaching, your cover letter should be about you and teaching. If its administrative job, your cover letter should be about you and administrative job.
Download a sample cover letter here (doc)
Note that: Writing about you means telling whosoever will be reading your cover letter how relevant you are and why the organization will be making a mistake if they don’t engage your service.
Don’t’ forget that cover letters are gradually replacing application letters. So why others are begging, use your cover letter to boast of your expertise and with it, employers will look forward to interviewing you.
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