This is one of the most important questions that you need to answer if you are looking for a job. Being young and having just graduated from school or just being tired of the job you have at the moment, you will start the job hunt which means that you absolutely must know how to write a cover letter.
In case you have not heard the phrase cover letter before, this is the time to find out. There are two terms that are essential for the job hunt. One is the resume or CV and the other is the cover letter. The cover letter is a small composition that you write in order to introduce yourself. Perhaps more important than that, because the information about you is also included in the resume, is to explain in the cover letter why you are interested in the job. In addition, the cover letter should state why you are the person they are looking for. The cover letter is basically the space where you advertise yourself so the company where you want to work will hire you.
Now that you know what the cover letter is, you should also know when it will be useful to you. Usually, you will send your cover letter when you apply for the job. The companies may ask for a certain type of cover letter. You must also pay attention to that at this stage in your job hunt. You will send in your cover letter together with a resume. The companies will make a first selection on the basis of the CV. In the second round they will read the cover letter for those candidates they have already selected.
While you take the CV with you to the interview, you might not have to take the cover letter. The interviewer will not have time to read the cover letter at this point. They hopefully have read it before and that is the reason why you made it to this stage in the hiring process. The interviewer may take a look at your CV to know what questions they can ask. However, you may be better off if you take all the papers you have with you to the interview, including CV and cover letter.
While using the cover letter might be easy, the difficult question comes before that. How to write a cover letter is the problem that bothers most future employees. Do not be scared by the concept of cover letter, even if there are many rules and norms to be taken into consideration, but be careful what you write because it may make a big difference in your future career. There are many places where you can look for advice if you have reached the point of writing it. There are numerous websites on the topic of how to write a cover letter. There are even classes taken in college about how to write a cover letter. Also, if you are a student in a college that has a writing center, you can go there for advice on how to write a cover letter.
The thing to know when you start writing is what kind of cover letter the company you apply for wants to see. Maybe they want you to focus on yourself, to describe your characteristics and your merits. They may want you to focus on the job that you are applying for to prove how interesting you find it and how you will make the most of it. Maybe they want you to be formal or they may want you to be original. There are many possibilities.
You can get a sense on how to write a cover letter by merely looking at the profile of the company. You may talk to people who work there to see what kind of cover letter has been successful for them, but this kind of search may just be too complicated. The company will probably have some information on their website about how to write a cover letter for them and, if this happens, it is probably indicated to take a look at it.
Once you have finished this preparatory stage in the job search, you are ready to submit the materials you have so hard work for. You can either send them by regular mail or by email depending on what the company wants. You may even be able to fax the papers, in which case you may want to let the company know that you are doing that. It is always good to also keep a direct contact with the company, a verbal one, apart from the paperwork. Your interest will surely be noticed.
If you pass the first stage, the company will get to read the cover letter you have worked so much for. If they like both this cover letter and the resume, the company will call you for an interview. You may have a phone interview at first. These can be interesting because they may catch you off guard. People can give phone interviews while out with friends or while on the bus. If you cannot really talk because you are with other people or traveling it is better to inform the employer of your current situation rather than have a bad interview and not get hired.
Now if you have also had a successful phone interview, you are ready for the grand finale which is the face to face interview. This may be the stage that makes you most nervous. This is the stage for which you have to prepare even the smallest details, like your clothing and haircut and even the way you pose your body. Once you have gone through this, all you have to do is wait until they call you.
So, you see, knowing how to write a cover letter can be very important for the future steps in your quest to find a job. Without a proper cover letter, the situation can change and you might not even get to the next steps and the next worries, but let’s not think negative and deal with first things first.
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