It is a fact that cover letters are an absolute must when applying for a job these days.
While some people claim that cover letters are obsolete, they can be the saving grace for some applications.
They provide the much-needed first contact with a prospective employer along with ensuring that the employer gets the first view of a candidate’s communication skills and job-relevant capabilities.
Conventional Vs. Online Cover Letter
A lot has been said and written about regular paper-based cover letters and not enough about online cover letters.
While the essence is the same, online cover letters need a little more attention as in most instances they may provide character limitations.
It means that you will need to write whatever you want in fewer words than you would write in a paper cover letter.
Online Cover Letter Writing Tips
1. Similar to all other cover letters, it is essential that the opening line of an online cover letter is strong. Remember that people reading cover letters have a very limited time so a boring opening will just compel the reader to pick up the next cover letter.
2. In order to make a good first impression, it is essential that you mention all your skills and capabilities in a few words. It is equally important to put in skills that are relevant to the job!
3. Most online job application sites or pages will provide you with some fields that you need to fill in which may include your full name and contact information. Once you fill these out, you will be asked to provide cover letter content in a limited number of characters which is the challenging part. You will need to ensure that your name and contact information is accurate and error-free.
4. The content of your online cover letter needs to be precise and meaningful and should tell the employer why you may be the best candidate for any given job.
Conclusion
There are many pros of writing an excellent online cover letter.
If it is precise and has all the information that an employer is looking for, you have more chances of bagging the interview.
Besides that, a well written online cover letter can save you a lot of questions during the interview!