Cover Letters

Cover letters are letters that accompany your resume to the recruiter to introduce yourself and your resume to him. It is the first document from you that your recruiter would read. There is no standard format as such for cover letters. You have to write in such a way that you easily grab the attention of the recruiter without giving him a chance to think that you are trying deliberately to snatch his attention. Each word and sentence should be able to create an interest in the recruiter about you. 

Here are some more points to be kept in mind while preparing cover letters.

Avoid general statements

General statements are to be avoided at any cost. Instead of saying that you have "excellent leadership qualities", give an instance of how you successfully lead a team. The recruiter is sure to read it.

Let the employer decide

Never list your qualities for the employer, especially while beginning the letter. For example, do not say that you are a dynamic or efficient person or a sincere and hardworking person. You may be all that but let your prospective employer arrive at his own conclusion.

Mention your resume

At the end of the cover letter, you can mention that the resume is attached for the recruiter's perusal.

Wait if you can

You see an ad; you feel so excited that there is an opening and sit to write a cover letter. It is possible that amidst the excitement, you dash off the letter and put it straight to the mailbox without any review or reflection. You may have committed mistakes and your tone may not be proper. Do not be impulsive. After writing a letter, keep it aside. At some other time read it again, delete mistakes, make necessary changes and then send it.

No hard and fast rules

There are no hard and fast rules in writing a cover letter however. Even you can decide how your cover letter should be depending on the tone of the advertisement, the nature of the job you are looking for and the organization you are approaching. The important thing is to keep it straightforward, simple and free of mist

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Source: www.ciol.com