Amitabh Sharma
Features Coordinator

This is the most important piece of communication that you sent to a prospective employer, the critical link that bridges the flow of information to your resume…the cover letter.

Experts say that an effective cover letter is similar to a cover of a magazine; it is a matter of seconds to catch the eye of the reader. The same principle applies for cover letter, the first glance should raise the interest of the reader (in this case the company executives) and have a mix of information, which will assist in getting the interview call.

The cover letter should be brief, not beyond three or four short paragraphs. In this you will need to state why you want the job and most importantly what value addition, skill sets that you will bring to the company.

This is even more critical in these trying times, when the resources are stretched and the companies are looking to cut costs. As the hiring process costs money, highlighting these salient points would catch the eye of the executives as they would not want to employ the wrong person.

There are several techniques that the experts recommend you can utilize, start the letter by detailing why you are writing and get straight to the point. For example, ."with reference to the advertisement/ job posting in...". You can also refer the name of people who might have recommended the job to you, "This is further to my conversation with Mr or Ms…, who indicated that there is position…."

As the mantra is to keep the flow of information simple and brief, you should use bullet points to highlight. An example, human resource experts say, could be to use text boxes with comparisons of the job requirements with your expertise.

Along with this, you can quantify how you acquired those skill sets; by education, or by work experience.

Managers recommend to customise the cover letters to answer several key questions:

• Why are you a good fit for the job?


• Why is the job consistent with your career path?


• Why are you making the transition?

Put yourself in the shoes of the manager going through your cover letter and anticipate the questions or queries that he or she might have. Provide an answer to those queries.

The managers further advice to keep the letter direct to the point. They feel that the tone of the letter should be one that of providing value addition. It should in no way paint a picture that you are asking or pleading to get that job.

Ensure that the letter is error free and signed by you, review and if possible, get someone to read it for you.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com

Suggested cover letter format

• Begin by giving an overview of the subject matter of the letter.
• Mention the position your are applying for.


• Give an overview of the key achievements and work experience, which can be co-related to the match the pre-requisites of the post


• Detail out what makes you qualified for the job. Mention how you will carry out certain duties or tackle some aspects relating to the job.


• Ensure to express your interest in an interview, conclude the letter by thanking the company for their time and consideration.