Cover Letter Format

What is a Good Cover Letter Format?

To be successful on your quest for that new and desirable job, a considerable amount of time must also be spent on writing a good resume cover letter and making sure you are following the basic structure of an effective cover letter format. Your cover letter is like a summary of your relevant skills and capacities that are pertinent to the position that you are seeking. While it is not a resume, your cover letter works best by complementing your written resume.

A cover letter states the reason why you are interested in acquiring a role within the company and what relevant skill set and experiences you have that could help a company achieve their corporate goals. A good cover letter must encourage a prospective employer to want to know more about you by reading on with your resume and probably calling you for an interview to discuss more details in your resume.

You can either chose to write one or the other type of cover letter depending on your circumstances. If you already know that there is an available position within the company, then you may chose to write an application cover letter which is basically a type of cover letter that is sent with the purpose of getting job interviews and as the opening front for your resume. If you want to know about avaiable positions and roles then you may need to send a prospecting cover letter.

While both types of cover letters might have different contents it follows a basic cover letter format. A good cover letter format basically consists of three paragraphs - the introductory paragraph, the main body, and the closing statements.

Structure of a Good Cover Letter Format:

Cover Letter Introduction

The introduction is the first part of a good cover letter format. If it is for an application then this firs paragraph must state the purpose why you are writing to the company. You need to tell the employer the reason why you are interested in the position that they are offering. It is also relevant to mention where you learned of the available role, whether it be from a friend or from an advertisement online or in classified ads. Clearly bring to the employer's attention that your skills and previous experiences are a match to their advertised job needs and requirements.

If the purpose of your cover letter is to ask for available job openings, then clearly state what requirements and specifications you would want of a particular job. You need to tell the employer in your cover letter what types of roles you are interested in.

Main Body of Cover Letter

The 2nd paragraph (or it could be one paragraph or two) is considered to be the bread and butter of your cover letter. It is in this paragraph that you try to present and sell your skills and relevant experiences that you feel can be of great use when you are hired by the company. It is important that you focus on the skills that are deemed useful to the role being offered. Explain in the cover letter how your key strengths and interests can be utilized for the successful performance of the role you are applying for. You need to point out your past achievements and your goals that directly relate to the position. At this part of your cover letter, you must be able to convice the employer that you are the right person for the role.

Closing Statement of Cover Letter

In closing your cover letter, express your desire and enthusiasm for the role and state how you can be contacted by the employer for an interview at his convenience. You may need to provide him with your address, contact phone numbers (not necessarily a work number if you don't want your job hunting to be known) and an email address. Convey a positive tone in your closing statement. End the cover letter by thanking the employer for his valuable time and consideration in giving it a review. As much as possible, keep your cover letter simple but full of relevant and pertinent information for the role.

In printing your cover letter or resume for that matter, make sure you are using a good quality paper - plain white is excellent, not those fancy stuff or stationaries that can distract employers from the contents of your cover letter or resume.

By using this basic structure of a good cover letter format, your are assured that you can clearly send your resume message across - that you are the right candidate for the role.

These tips brought to you by How To Write a Resume.