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Friday, August 6, 2010

Tips Writing A Cover Letter

The cover letter must be directed to somebody in particular (avoid using phrases like “dear sir/madam” or “to whom it may concern”). You should try to find out the name of the person with hiring power. If this is not possible, you may address the letter to a title or to the Human Resources department.

  1. Consider the cover letter as a business letter, a professional one.
  2. Never more than a page for writing a resume cover letter
  3. Quality paper, white or very clear (same type and colour of paper that was used to print the resume).
  4. Brief explanation of what you offer and want, without forgetting that the cover letter must be in accordance with what the company needs.
  5. Bring (from your CV or resume) only aspects relevant to the position (abilities, capacities, achievements). Do not make a new summary of your resume. Your resume talks about you, your cover letter about the company, the target…
  6. Use the cover letter to convince, to persuade the reader that you are the most appropriate candidate for the position, that you can perform the functions.
  7. Show enthusiasm and interest in the company. Write something about the company or industry that shows you know about them.
  8. Check your spelling, grammar and expressions before approving the letter.
  9. Use short phrases, concise but with a rich lexicon writing a cover letter. No more than four or five paragraphs. 
  10. Avoid very formal expressions and facts. The cover letter is a measure of what you want to obtain.
  11. Use action verbs writing a cover letter.
  12. Do not overuse "I", it can give an egocentric image of the candidate.
  13. Do not use copies of cover letters or paragraphs previously used for other selection processes. Send an original cover letter to each employer.
  14. Write a resume cover letter in a creative way, oriented towards the client (the company), be flexible and always willing to work in a team and learn.
  15. Don’t forget to make your letter stand out and mention something which makes you special; make your potential employer want to go on to read your CV or resume. If you did a language course or have a great qualification, mention it and let yourself shine!







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