How to Write an Effective Job Application Cover Letter?

Anyone can write a job application cover letter. But writing a good job application cover letter that gets results can be a difficult task. A well-written cover letter can make your application stand apart from the rest. It can greatly increase the likelihood of getting a call for an interview.

A good job application letter showcases your unique skills and links them with the requirements of the employer. Let’s take a look at how you can write an effective application cover letter for a job.

1.  Focus on Formatting

The appearance of the cover letter matters as much as the content. You need to make the cover letter not just compelling but readable.

The margins of the cover letter should be set to 1 inch on all sides. You can change the margins in MS Word by clicking on the Page Layout tab and then Margins. Select Normal layout with 1-inch margins on the top, left, bottom, and right as shown in the image below.

You should also select the right font type and size for the cover letter. Recommended fonts for a job application cover letter include Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, Didot, and Helvetica.

The recommended font for the body of the letter is Time New Roman that is suitable for most industries. For cover letter headings, we recommend using Didot. The font type will make your name, contact details, and application headings seem to pop off the letter. This font is not available in MS Word by default. But you can download it for free online.

The recommended size for the font is 12. You should not choose a smaller size as it will make the printed application less readable. You should consider saving the cover letter in PDF format before printing as it will preserve the look of the font. The HR manager will see the application font as it appears on the screen.

2. Contact Information in Header

The header section contains information that appears at the top of the page. You should put your contact information in the header of the cover letter. Some of the important things to add to the top of the application letter include:

Name

Address

Phone Number

Email

Link to your samples, website, or LinkedIn account

The header placement can be at the top center or the top right corner of the page.

Make sure that the line spacing looks professional for the header. You should select 10pt spacing and Single line spacing for the best look.

3. Use the Right Greetings

Avoid using ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To Whom It May Concern. These greetings are so common informal letters that they have somewhat become cliché.  They sound impersonal and robotic that does not connect with the reader.

Instead, you must do some research and find out who is the hiring manager of the company. Address the recruiting personnel directly by name. You can find out about the hiring manager by visiting the company website or even asking an existing employee.

If you can’t find the name of the recruiter, a safe option is to write, ‘Dear HR Manager,’ or ‘Dear Hiring Manager,’.  

Another safe option is to address the company by writing, ‘Dear ABC Team’.

4. Compelling Opening Lines

You get only about ten seconds to catch the attention of your reader. So, it’s important to hook the reader by writing attention-grabbing opening lines.

Avoid generic statements such as, ‘I am interested in working for your company…’ or ‘I am applying in references to the post of XYZ…’. You need to get creative by writing a compelling opening statement that captures the interest of the reader.

You should think of the opening lines of the cover letter as the headline of a newspaper. Here are a few suggestions to make the introductory sentences compelling for the hiring manager.

• Use Company’s Words:You should go through the company’s website and use words that reflect their culture. Using words used by the company allows you to tune into their culture. Speaking in their language will help you make a positive first start.
• Write Your Career Aims:Another tip to attract attention is to write your long-term aims and connect them to the job position at the company. Linking your career aims with the company reflects your commitment to the post. It shows that you are serious about working for the company as it will contribute to achieving your career objectives.
• Show Some Feelings: You must write an opening statement that reflects your passion and commitment to working for the company. You should tell them from the start how you feel about the prospect of working for the company. You can also tell your feelings when you see the positive impact that the company’s products and services are making on the community.

Here are some effective opening lines for a job application cover letter.

I am excited about working as an XYZ at your company. My career goal has been to work for a company that is considered a leader in its field. And I believe the company perfectly fits this description.

My 10+ years of experience in the XYZ field working for multiple companies has prepared me to handle challenging tasks of any nature. I can bring new perspectives to addressing problems resulting in positive outcomes.  

Once you have attracted the attention of the hiring manager, it will become easier for you to make a compelling case about why you are the best person for the job. Writing a compelling start to your cover letter is a tough skill and this is where you can employ a professional content creation agency if you know what to look for when hiring content writing services.

5. Quickly Get to the Point

Hiring managers have to read a lot of resumes. They don’t have time to read a lengthy cover letter. You should make their task easy for them by making your letter concise and to the point.  

The body is the meat of your letter. And you need to make it lean.

After grabbing attention in the opening lines, you should get to the point and tell about your skills and experiences that make you the best fit for the position. You should write a couple of paragraphs that describe your past experiences and skills that are relevant for the advertised job.

6. Be Humble Yet Confident

You must be humble but also confident when writing about your past experiences. You should include both your soft skills such as team builds and effective communication, as well as hard skills such as business process management, programming, critical thinking, and others.

Tell your reader about the passion that drives you to excel in your work. You should tell them what activities allow you to enter into a ‘flow’ where you lose track of time. Let the hiring manager sense the excitement you feel when carrying out the tasks.

7. Keep It Simple

Remember that the person reading your application letter is not a researcher or academic professor. You need to keep the tone of the letter simple and easy to understand. Avoid using complex words just for the sake of appearing knowledgeable.

The goal of the cover letter is to introduce yourself as a professional. You need to convey your experience and skills to the recruiter using simple words. For instance, you should use the word learned or highly educated instead of erudite, complex rather than multifaceted, and so on.  

The exception of course is when you are applying for an academic position. In this situation, you need to impress the dean or head of the university through your command in scholarly writing. You must show that you have an extensive vocabulary required for research work that is generally required for the post of a professor.  

8. Limit to One Page

You must keep the cover letter to one page. Most hiring managers don’t have time to read multiple-page cover letters. They are more interested in your education and work profile presented in the CV.

A cover letter that is two or more pages will be unappealing. You must keep the letter word count between 300 to 500 words that are about one page with standard formatting i.e. Times New Roman, Single or Double spacing, and 12 font size.

Some companies specify how long should be the cover letter and the CV. You need to follow the instructions to the T otherwise your application will be rejected.

Final Remarks

You should make an effort to customize your job application cover letter to fit each position and company. Rushed job cover letters that are not personalized give an impression that you don’t care about getting a job.

You must write a cover letter in the language of the company. Match the cover letter to the posting requirements by highlighting relevant skills, experience, and education. Your goal in writing a cover letter is to summarize your work history and convince the reader that you are the best fit for the role.