Writing A Cover Letter – Importance And Guidelines

Why is writing a cover letter important? Writing a cover letter is important because that will tell the company that you are serious about the job. It highlights your qualification and it allows you to convince the company why you should be the one to be hired. 
Your cover letter must be brief yet informative and persuasive. For guidelines on writing a cover letter, here are some tips that you can follow. 
Research well. Before you start writing the cover letter, you should first gather enough information about the company and about the position they are offering. You cannot convince them to hire you if you do not know what kind of company they are and what kind of employees they need. Research will help you sort out the information that you should and should not include in the letter. 
Make the format simple. There is a standard format in writing cover letters. The letter should not be too flashy or too dull. If you want to make it stand out, you need to use words and not flashy designs. Make it look presentable and professional. Use one-inch margin for all sides and use either Arial or Times New Roman for the font. The size of the characters should always be between 11 and 14, however, 12 is the standard font size. There should always be a letter head. The letter head should include your name and your contact details. This will make it easier for the company to know how they can get in touch with you. The letterhead’s font should be a little bigger than the rest because it should stand out. You should also be aware of the name of the HR personnel or the department. You need to properly address the person in charge to make it more professional. 
Make it impressive. There is also a format for the body of the cover letter. First, you need to tell them why you are writing – what position you want to apply for and where did you know about the job opening. Next, you need to tell the company why you are right for the job. You need to include sentences that will support that claim such as your qualifications, the trainings you have attended, your relevant work experience and so on. You can also outline your skills on this part such as language skills, computer skills, interpersonal skills and the like. In the last part of the letter, you need to tell the employer how they can contact you. Include your e-mail address and your phone number. It is also advisable to provide a time in order for them to know when is the best time to contact you. Tell them once more about your intention to get the job. Tell them that you are available for an interview. Lastly, you should never forget to thank them for taking the time to read your letter and consider your application. 
Read again. After you finish writing the letter, you should always spell check. This is very important to avoid grammatical mistakes and typographical errors. Small mistakes can affect your application to a great extent.