Designing a Cover Letter: How to Attract Attention and Get Hired Now!

During the job search process, cover letters are often overlooked and sometimes simply seen as an annoyance. However, cover letters actually serve a very important function; they give you the chance to showcase your personality and make a few points that you could not get across in your resume. One of the worst things you could do is to just throw together a cover letter without putting a lot of thought into in. The following information will help you learn how to write an email cover letter and increase your chances of landing a dream job.

Choose a greeting

This can actually be a little harder than it sounds. If you know who you are writing to, which is typically the hiring manager, it is appropriate to simply write "Dear [name]" and then place a comma after your salutation. Be professional here; you want to include either Mr., Ms., Dr., or whatever title that is right for that person. If you do not know the person's actual name, you can simply put "Hiring Manager" in place of it. Generally, you do not want to write "To whom it may concern," because the hiring manager could think that you are just sending out the same cover letter to every company rather than tailoring it to their position.

Construct your initial paragraph

In the first paragraph, you want to discuss which position you are applying for. It is also a good idea to note how you came across the job in the first place, whether it was online, through a current employee or by some other method. This paragraph is very brief; two or three sentences is sufficient.

Flesh out the body of the letter

In general, you will only have one or two more paragraphs in your cover letter (excluding your conclusion). If you are too wordy, the hiring manager may simply look past your information because it will take up too much time to give it the attention it deserves. Make sure you talk about why you would be a good fit for the job, and outline any prior experience you have that would make you an ideal candidate. Also talk a little about why you want to be an employee with that company; show that you have done your research and you understand what they are all about.

Finish up

In your concluding paragraph, draw everything to a close. Mention how you plan to follow up on the position. Leave your email address and other contact information so that you are easy to get in touch with when the time comes. Finally, express your appreciation to the hiring manager for considering you. Sign off with "Sincerely" and then type out your name.

More companies are moving to an electronic format when it comes to applying for a job. Writing an email cover letter is an art, and its importance should not be underestimated. Take the information above to heart, and craft the best letter possible.