A cover letter accompanies your CV or resume when you submit your job application. It is your personal and professional introduction to a potential employer highlighting your interest in the job opening and the organization, and briefly relate your skills and qualifications to the available position. Keep in mind that a cover letter is not a summary of your CV or resume; to a certain extent, it is an invitation to your prospective employer to read your resume.

While writing your cover letter for the years of 2012, 2013 and onwards, adhere to the following tips in order to make your cover letter more attractive. Don’t be so assertive as to appear anxious, but do be self-confident in initiating an interview.

Cover Letter Tips 2012 – 2013

 

• Try not to overstuff the pronoun “I” in your cover letter

• Never repeat the same idea or sentence. Instead, change your sentence structure to a great extent

• Edit and rewrite at least 3 times to ensure a refined version

• Your cover letter must not exceed to one page

• Always make use of a high quality paper; standard-size (8.5″ x 11”)

• Always choose white or offwhite paper which must match with your resume paper

• Send your letter in a manila envelope to keep away from folding (The manila envelope is a special envelope made of thick, durable paper and sized so that full sheets of cover letter and resume can fit inside without being folded.)

• Email cover letters do not require headings and addresses

• Don’t forget to sign your letters right above your typed name

• If you have enclosed a resume, references or transcript etc. type “Encl” after two lines of your signature and name

• Keep a soft copy of your cover letter for future references

• Always have some friend or family member proof-read your letter to catch typos or misuse of words not caught by your spell checker

• Use a laser printer on a high DPI