HOW TO WRITE A GREAT COVERING LETTERTips, suggestions, and inspiration from GennGlobal

INTRODUCTION

The covering letter is arguably the most important part of any job application.

While your CV contains useful information about your qualifications, your covering letter provides the opportunity to give detailed descriptions and explanations of the information in your CV. In this way, you can provide crucial contextual information about yourself as a professional.

Next, we will discuss some effective strategies for writing a powerful, professional covering letter.

COMPONENTS OF A GOOD COVERING LETTER

There are four core sections in any great covering letter: An introductory paragraph A section that outlines your skills, experiences,

and how you qualify for the position One paragraph explaining why you are

interested in the opportunity A conclusion, and any additional information

Next, we’ll discuss these sections in detail.

THE INTRODUCTION

The introductory paragraph will provide basic information about you. It should be written as concisely as possible.

Chiefly, you will want to include the following information: Who you are (your name, plus other relevant

information about who you are, such as where you are located)

The position you are applying for A short description of yourself as a professional This section is also a great place to namedrop if

you have a personal connection to the company

DESCRIPTION OF SKILLS

In the paragraphs following your introduction, your objective is to sell yourself as the perfect candidate for the position in question.

One guiding principle to follow when completing this section is to only include relevant experiences and knowledge you have and to powerfully explain why those experiences qualify you for the position.

It must be stressed: if you can’t think of a reason why an experience or skill directly applies to a position you are applying for, do not include it in your covering letter. You have a limited amount of space, so everything needs to have a purpose.

WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE POSITION?

What is your motivation for applying to this job? Discussing why you are interested in a position

can be challenging, but this section is just as important as the last.

In this section, you should be truthful about why you are interested, but keep in mind that your desire for the position shouldn’t overshadow your qualifications. Try to strike a balance between being candid

while remaining professional. Even if this is your dream job, you must be

tactful and concise in your response to this question.

THE CONCLUSION

In this section, it is customary to thank the employer for their time and consideration.

This is also the place where it is appropriate to discuss salary requirements or to include any additional information that an employer should have knowledge of. For example, this is where you might include

relocation information if relocation is required.

Happy job hunting!