Learn the best tips to write a perfect cover letter for a job: structure, characteristics… Find out now how to write a job cover letter!
Once you have the perfect CV, you must make a Cover Letter to accompany your resume in the job offer applications.
If you don’t know how a cover letter is made, what data it should contain or what a cover letter is used for, then we will give you all the information you need to know.
Writing a cover letter is an important action in the job search process. It is a document that will help you distinguish yourself from the rest of the candidates. Follow our creation process step by step and check that no data is missing.
In this article we will tell you exactly how to write a good cover letter.
Structure of a Cover Letter
When writing a cover letter, it is very important to take into account what structure the information arrangement should have. If you start with one of our cover letter templates, don’t forget to customize it with your own information. Here’s how to structure a good cover letter:
Contact information
Who is the cover letter addressed to? It is important that you include the information of the person to whom the letter is addressed, as well as your own information.
The job cover letter for a company should be addressed to a specific person. In this case, the head of the HR department. This information is not always accessible to everyone. So, if you do not have complete information about the person who will interview you, investigate them, if necessary, call the company so they can tell you the name of the person in charge. If you decide to write the beginning of your cover letter with an impersonal “to whom it may concern”, you will lose the points that you had ahead of you, since it is a very distant way of addressing a person.
Initial greeting
Try to reverse the roles for a moment and think that you are the recruiter who receives a cover letter from a candidate. If when you start reading the cover letter, you find a “to whom it may concern” instead of your first and last name, what happens? Isn’t it true that you prefer it to be personalized? Of course, this way empathy is created between the recruiter and the applicant from the beginning.
This is what the salutation should look like in your letter:
Introductory paragraph
Every startup should always be powerful to get the attention you need. You don’t need to be too serious, but don’t be casual either. Look for balance.
It is important that the introductory paragraph of your cover letter contains:
- Your name.
- How and when did you learn about the candidacy?
- In which sector have you developed your most relevant work experience and for how long?
- Level of study.
- Field of study.
- Professional goals.
Body of the text
Your cover letter should be composed of two or three paragraphs that give body to the structure. In them you must delve into your personal data and describe with as much detail as possible and the least number of words. Body paragraphs should contain the following:
- Respond to the job offer, that is, explain that you have what they ask for.
- Include words or sentences that you have read in the job offer, they will work as keywords.
- Skills.
- How is your personality a perfect fit for the position?
- How can you help the company meet its goals?
- How are you going to use your skills for the benefit of the company?
Availability for interview
It is very important that you let the recruiter know that you are free for a job interview, even encourage it to happen. You can include sentences like “I have an excellent customer service presence that I’ll check out as soon as you give me an interview.” Remember that the objective is to show interest and full willingness to attend a job interview when it is granted.
Closing of the cover letter
After you have stated your availability for an interview, it is important that you close the cover letter with a thank you for the time spent reading you. Also, you should mention that if you don’t hear back from them, you’ll get back to them within a week.
Remember to close with a formal goodbye and your name. Ideally, the recruiter will contact you right after they have finished reading your cover letter. If you have done the process well, the results will be beneficial.
Format for a Cover Letter
It is important that your cover letter has a format where the font size, margins and paragraphs are organized in a professional way to leave the best impression on the recruiter.
- Use a font size between 11 and 12 points, depending on the length of your letter.
- The typography or font must be legible, the most used are Calibri, Arial, Times and Times New Roman.
- It is recommended that you justify the paragraphs so that the text is distributed evenly, in case this format does not look good, it is best to align the paragraphs with the left margin.
- The length of the cover letter should be one page.
- The number of paragraphs varies, but ideally three to four.
- The number of words also varies, it would be best to have between 200 and 300 words.
