A cover letter is basically a short letter attached to documents such as business proposals, marketing documents, quotations and resumes. The cover letter serves as an introduction on your intention to apply for a certain position in a company. It is a common practice of job applicants to attach a cover letter together with their resume.

It is important to create a good cover letter to build a good impression as soon as the reader goes on to read your letter since the cover letter is the first thing that will be read. A well written cover letter is attractive and catches interest, thus providing you a greater advantage of being invited for a job interview.

A cover letter is formally written with certain guidelines to follow. Here are some important tips that can help you in creating an effective cover letter.

Firstly, your cover letter must have the proper formatting. Address your letter to the proper department or personnel of the company as much as possible. It will be advantageous to put the real name of the person you are addressing. Your letter must be short, if possible limit it to one page only. Take note that most people do not have time to read a very long letter.

It is also important to choose the proper font size for your letter to be readable. The most ideal font size is 11 or 12. Use formal font types such as Times New Roman or Arial. Fancy fonts are unprofessional. And type the letter in plain white paper. Include important information in your cover letter such as your complete name, residential address, contact numbers or email address.

Next is the content. This is the most important part since it contains the information or message you wish to convey exactly. State clearly your intention for forwarding the attached documents. State the job position you are interested in if you are applying for a job, for example. Be able to complete everything you have to say in just three to four short paragraphs.

Highlight the most important information about yourself in terms of your skills and experience. Provide the most significant factors why the company would value you for the position. But do not write too much details since you already have those information in your resume. The content of your letter should impress the reader so you would be considered for the job. The objective is to draw interest from the person to look deeper in your resume.

Try to research some information about the company and mention what you know about them. This will give them the impression that you have done some effort and you are really interested working with the company.

It is also ideal to organize your writing into a logical order so it would look more professional and easier to understand. Arrange the information according to related information.

One of the common mistakes in writing cover letters is by copying ready made phrases. This should never be done as it will show that you don't have originality and would only question your ability.

Upon finishing your letter, you must make sure to check for any errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation marks. Sign the letter with black or blue pen. Never use red ink in signing as this will project a negative impact on you.

An effective cover letter is able to catch attention. It sets you apart from other applicants. It increases your chances of being called up for an interview.

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