Scarica HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER e più Dispense in PDF di Lingua Inglese solo su Docsity! HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER The purpose of a cover letter A cover letter needs to: • introduce you • mention the job (or kind of job) you're applying for (or looking for) • match your skills and experiences with the skills and experiences required by the job • encourage the reader to read your resume • finish with a call to action (for example, requesting an interview or asking to meet). For more about each of these steps, check out "What to include on your cover letter" section on this page. How long should a cover letter be? A cover letter shouldn't be more than one page. It's only meant to be a summary of the information you put in your resume, so remember to keep things short. Matching your cover letter to the job You should never use the same cover letter for different job applications. Your cover letter needs to show that you know what the job involves and what the organisation is looking for. To do this you need to be as specific as you can about your skills and qualities and how they match the job or organisation's needs. Here are three simple ways to make your cover letter as specific as possible: 1. Find out who to address it to Try not to address your letter "To Whom It May Concern" if you can. Finding out who to address your application to takes a little bit of effort, but it's worth it. If you found the job in an ad, the ad will probably name a person to send the application to. If not, contact the employer or advertiser and ask who to send the application to. It's best to call if you can, but you can also email them if you don't have a contact phone number for them. If you manage to find out the person's name, don't use their first name. Use either "Mr." or "Ms." and their last name instead. 2. Find out more about the job When finding out who to address your application to, you could also try to contact that person so you can ask questions that can help you match your cover letter (and resume) to the job. Questions you could ask include: • Does the job involve working as part of a team? • Who would I be reporting to if I got the job? • Can you tell me more about the kind of people you're looking for? • Is there a position description I can look at (only ask this if the job ad didn't mention a position description)? The answers to these questions can give you some ideas for things to mention in your cover letter. 3. Find out more about the company Finding out more about a company is another good way to work out how to tailor your cover letter. Here are some tips: • If you know the name of the company, look for information online. • If the company has a website, visit it (especially their About Us page). • If the company name isn't in the ad, call the recruitment agency or advertiser and ask who the employer is. What you should include in your cover letter Here's a list of things you should include in your cover letter. For examples of how to include these things, visit our Sample cover letters page. Your name and contact details Put your name and contact details at the top of your cover letter. You don't have to give your postal address, but you do need to include your email and phone number. Make sure you'll be able to answer the number you give. Don't give your landline number if you're not going to be home to answer it. Your email address should create a professional impression. Don't use an email address like yolo@zapbangpowdude.co.uk. If you don't have a professional email address, you can make one with a free email provider. Make it simple - something like your first name and your last name is a good way to go. Their name and contact details Under your own name and contact details you should include:
