Best Types of Cover Letter You Can Use
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In the process of looking for a job, there are several documents you need to prepare. Its required for you to provide any information about yourself to the company you applied for.
Other than CV or Resume, you need to prepare any types of cover letter, too. Although cover letter is not mandatory, its present can be the ultimate determinant of your career.
Some people may suggest you to write a cover letter every time you want to apply for a job. You should listen to them.
While it may not give an advantage for you, it certainly would never harm you. Therefore, it’d be best for you to prepare one, or even several.
Some says that cover letter is not really important, others may say the opposite. For certain hiring managers, cover letter is very crucial.
It was reported that 50% of hiring managers would likely read your cover letter.
So, who should you believe?
If you want to be certain of what you’ll send, you can pay more attention to the requirement from the company. Certain company often ask you to add cover letter along with your resume or CV.
Therefore, unless the company specifically said you shouldn’t include one, then you may want to write a strong cover letter.
Writing a strong and attractive cover letter will increase the chance of you getting the job.
What is Cover letter?
A cover letter is a piece of document used to apply for a job. Generally, a cover letter will be send along with your resume or CV.
The nature of this letter is to compliment your resume or CV.
One of the uses of cover letter is to add some contexts into your other job application document. As a result, the hiring managers will have more information to be considered.
With this added context, it’ likely for the hiring managers to put special attention towards your application.
When you’re writing your cover letter you need to remember that you can’t rewrite your CV or Resume.
A cover letter is supposed to be a document that will give more context to your CV. Therefore, write something that you can’t write on your CV due to the page limitation.
If you can’t write the explanation of certain point on your CV you can write the more comprehensive reason on your cover letter.
For example, when you have quite a big gaps on your CV you can explain the reason why on your cover letter.
If you write a good and perfect cover letter, your chance of getting the job you want will increase. This is why cover letter is really important to your search of a job.
The Structure of cover letter
Before writing your cover letter, you need to understand how to structure your cover letter. Just like CV or Resume, any types of cover letter has to be put in order so the hiring managers could read it easily.
Cover letter generally consist of 4 paragraph.
You need to pay attention to these structure in order to make your letter look good and easy to read. The most important thing, to keep your letter interesting.
First Paragraph; this would be your opening line. Generally you need to start strong, use words that will intrigue the hiring manager to keep reading your letter.
Therefore, you can begin with stating your desire to work in the offered position. On this paragraph you also can describe and explain your strength that will benefit the company.
Second Paragraph; on the second paragraph, you can start to emphasize your experience in the related job offer.
You can correlate it with your skill and how the two things can push you to be the best employees.
Third Paragraph; you can proceed by explaining why you are the best candidate to be hired. You may want to explain the reasoning of why you apply for this specific position.
In the end of paragraph, you can mention what you can offer to the company.
Last Paragraph; finally, on the last paragraph you can wrap up your letter. You can reiterate your desire and interest in working with the company.
This paragraph would be the last effort you can give. Therefore, convince the company into hiring you.
Types of Cover Letter
As CV and Resume, there are several cover letter. In order to make this document work effectively, you have to know what kind you need.
Choosing the right type may give a huge difference.
These are types of cover letter you might need:
Application cover letter
This type of letter usually is a complimentary to your resume or CV. You will need to send this letter along with your resume or CV.
The purpose of this letter is to give the company more context about yourself, especially about your skills and experience.
In order to make your cover letter more effective, it’d be best for you to write it in specific.
What’s that mean? It means that you have to write this letter as though you want to get this specific job. Therefore, you need to describe your skills and experience that could poke some interest.
This letter is generally use by many people. You can use this type for anything, but if you have specific things that you want to add, you may want to see other types.
Networking cover letter
Besides looking for a job opening through social media or other information tools, you may also find a job opening through your network.
When you go to a conference or a seminar, it’s likely for you to meet other people. That is the perfect time for you to branch out.
Find new friends, it may change your life completely.
These people you meet may work for the company you really want to work with. This could give you advantage.
If you have this kind of network, you may want to use this type of letter.
Email cover letter
This letter is a cover letter that you will need to send via email. Usually you’ll send this along with your CV and Resume.
You’ll need to write this letter on your email, then attach your CV or resume along with it. This way, you’ll need to write the letter spontaneously.
By sending an email cover letter, you can target your letter to be in accordance with what the company wants.
Career-specific cover letter
This type of letter is a targeted letter that you send to a specific company. It’s also known as an industry-specific cover letter.
You can use this letter when you want to apply for a job in the same career path as your previous job. That way you can highlight your experience in this specific job.
This kind of job would probably be best for you to use. Because of your deep experience, it can advantage you greatly.
Referral letter
In this letter, it means that you have a colleague or individual that refer you this specific job. Therefore, you can mention this little fact on your letter.
Writing this letter can be very beneficial. It shows your broad network and connection to the company. Of course you need to be careful if you really want to pursue this opportunity.
Make sure that the referral can be trusted and the person who refer it to you have a good relationship with the company.
In order to let the hiring manager catch this little fact as soon as possible, you can state this in the beginning of your letter.
Cold contact cover letter
What happen if you want to apply for a job at a specific company, but they haven’t had an opening yet?
Well, if that’s what happen you can write a cold contact cover letter. This type of letter is used for this very reason.
This letter will state your interest to work for the company even when they have no opening yet. Because of the nature of the letter, you may want to persuade them to hiring you.
You can state your quality to be considered to behired.
Letter of interest
This letter is also known as a prospecting cover letter. You can use this letter to ask the company you want to work with if they have any job opening.
You can state your desire to work with this company if there’s any opening.
The reason why you send this letter is because you want to be sure about the company’s information.
Sometimes, company may have a job opening but isn’t really advertising it. Therefore, you’ll need to ask the company yourself to be sure.
Value proposition letter
The purpose of writing this letter is to sell your quality. In this letter, you’ll have to describe your value as a person and a future employees.
This letter will highlight your unique skill an experience that will distinguish you with other candidates. These skills and experience will be your selling point.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a cover letter is a very crucial piece of document in your job application. When you write more than your CV or Resume, you’re giving more material to the hiring manager.
Therefore, the hiring manager has enough information about you and your capability. Including a cover letter to your job application may give you a higher chance in getting the job you want.
Although cover letters have the same function, there are several types that you can choose depending on the requirement.
Recognizing those types and their function can help you in using the right one for your job application. In the end, your cover letter isn’t just a display, but as a booster to your career.
So, what’s the hold up? Let’s start writing your cover letter!
