HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER

Before we dive into this topic, It is very essential to make known what a Cover Letter is, and what it entails. Now, what is a cover letter?

A Cover Letter (also known as a covering letter, a letter of application, or a motivational letter) is a document (usually in a page), that accompanies a Resume or a Curriculum Vitae (CV). 

Job seekers write and submit cover letters, alongside their CV to prospective employees, as it provides further information on why you think you should be given the job. Most people in this day and age may feel that a cover letter is like a heavy load to carry, since the CV should and must contain all that the employer requires. And, while that is true, a Cover Letter is also necessary as it further expands on what is written in the CV, be it detailing your personal experiences and most of all, your desire for wanting that job.

Types of Cover Letter

As a Cover Letter is necessary in further detailing what is in a CV, it is also important to know the types of cover letters. There are three major types of cover letters, each one coming with its importance and style. They are;

1. Application Letter: As the name implies, this is a cover letter written basically to apply for a certain position. This type of letter is the most common and most favoured cover letter today. As long as a job seeker is applying for a post, whatever that may be, an application letter is best suited.

2. Letter of Inquiry: This type of letter is less common than the application letter. In this letter, the writer, instead of applying for a job, is inquiring about the possibility of there being a job vacancy. 

Difference Between An Application Letter And A Letter Of Inquiry

Here is the major difference between an application letter and a letter of inquiry, as whenever a job seeker writes a letter of application, he/she is already aware of there being a vacancy at the company/facility/institution at which he/she is writing to, but as for the letter of inquiry, the writer is on the fence; He/she is not sure about if there is a vacancy or not at the company/facility/institution he/she is writing to.

3. Letter of Networking: This is the least known and the.least used type of cover letter. As the name implies, this letter is written basically to ask for assistance or networking connections from a company/facility/institution as regards to a specific project or opportunity.

How To Write A Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is neither an easy task, nor a daunting task. Although a cover letter may be seen to be like a formal or information letter, its structure is much more complex than that, but, like a formal or an informal letter, if a prospective job seeker is well versed on the dos and don'ts of writing a cover letter, he/she will find it to be a rewarding task.

Now, when writing a cover letter, there are three basic things for a prospective job seeker, or anyone else who is interested in writing a cover letter should be aware of. And, they are;

  a. The Introduction;

  b. The Body Paragraphs and;

  c. The Conclusion.

These three items we have listed are synonymous to a formal and informal letter. Now, let's clear the air; A cover letter is still a letter; it performs the basic functions of a letter, but it has its own specific style to that of a formal letter or an informal letter.

                    

Introduction Of A Cover Letter

What should the introduction of a Cover Letter contain? An introduction of a Cover Letter should contain nothing more than the name of the job seeker or applicant written in bold, block letters. The surname should be first, before the name(s). Then, underneath the name, these are the other things to be added;

• Email address: This should be a professional email address, not amazingly_endowned@gmail.com.

• Address: This slot is meant to be for the house address.

• Phone Number: The phone number of the applicant. This is the correct format;

YOUR NAME.

your_name@gmail.com.  

House Address.   

 Phone Number. 

Having covered that aspect, an address has to be written to the company/facility/institution to which the job seeker is applying to. This is also necessary. Job applicants need to ensure that this aspect is gotten right, as employers turn their attention to that address. 

The format is as follows;

• The date at which the applicant is writing the letter;

• The name of the individual the job applicant is applying to;

• The position of that individual in that company/facility/institution;

• The address of the company/facility/institution; 

• The email of the individual the letter is being referred to. 

All of this should be written on the left side of the letter. 

Now that this format is clear, the salutation is next. It is very crucial for a job applicant to give off a salutation that is both professional and acceptable. The use of Dear Sir/Ma is not acceptable; instead, the use of Dear, along with the surname of the individual the letter is being referred to, is more acceptable. For instance, Dear Mr. James is appropriate.

The Body Paragraphs

There should be at least two body paragraphs in a cover letter.

 The first paragraph should be about the applicant. This is very important. The first paragraph is basically a self-introduction. The applicant should introduce himself/herself to the individual the letter is being referred to. That paragraph should contain who you are, where your expertise lies, where you found out about the job offer and why you want to apply for the job.

The second paragraph is more complex and detailed. This paragraph is for the applicant to directly reply to the job post he/she is applying for. By doing this, the applicant must talk about his/her skills, however it may be, the applicant must also reference the impact he/she had in his/her previous job, and how the aforementioned skills helped to impact that company/facility/institution. In this paragraph, the applicant should endeavour to be bold, but not brag about his/her skills and abilities, for any sign of bragging would clearly serve as a major turnoff for the prospective employers. 

The Conclusion Of A Cover Letter

Now that the introduction and the body paragraphs of a cover letter have been touched in detail, understanding how best to apply the concluding note is very necessary. 

In this paragraph, the applicant should write it as a call-to-action on the part of the prospective employer. Inform him/her that you are thrilled to be writing to him/her, that you can't wait to be interviewed, that you also can't wait to hear their reply. It is also necessary to add your contact information, be it an email address or phone number. Then, end it with a Yours sincerely,(this format should be noted), as well as the name of the applicant.