How To Write a Cover Letter that Will Get You an Interview

Cover letters are to accompany a resume when applying for a job. The purpose of the cover letter is to get an interview. So many people will spend forever perfecting the perfect resume. Then blow it all by submitting a lousy second rate cover letter. Prospective employers will actual look at your cover letter and the way it is put together when deciding if they should call you for an interview or throw your resume in the trash. So how do you create a cover letter that will get you an interview and keep your resume out of the trash? It is really easy to do with a little thought and time put into it.

Avoid free cover letters

Free cover letters are generalized and employers are seeing tons of these come across their desk. When an employer sees tons of cover letters that look basically all alike, then they will start over looking them and moving on to more fresh and unique cover letters that are written specifically for their company and position in which they have an opening for.

How to address a cover letter properly

How you address your cover letter says a lot to any potential employer. Addressing your cover letter with a sir/madam or even with a to whom it may concern is cover letter suicide. Your cover letter should be addressed to a specific person at all times. Employers take note of this and by addressing it to specific person you are putting yourself above the competition.

Keep it brief and job specific

When writing about your qualifications you need to keep it brief and to the point. Make sure that you are addressing the position in which you are applying for. Employers should not be made to look hard to see if you are qualified for the position or not. Using bullets to highlight your qualifications that address your ability to fill the position is recommended. This will allow for them to scan your cover letter quickly and see that you are right for the position.

Compliment the company

After you have addressed your qualifications for the position in which you are applying for then write up a paragraph telling them why you want to work at that specific company. This acts as a compliment to the employer and also shows them why you are applying for the position. Be honest, brief and to the point. Do not use a lot of fluff words when telling them why you want to work there.

Be assertive and use action

When ending your cover letter make sure to end it with some kind of action. Usually this is telling the employer that you will be in contact on a specific day to follow up with them. Tell them to look your resume over in the mean time. Then follow up with that call and ask them for an interview. During the this part of your cover letter you can address the issue of an interview as well. After all the purpose of the cover letter is to get an interview.