What is a cover letter ?
The cover letter, very often called a job application, is a means by which you come into contact with the recruiter.
It should enable the company to answer two questions :
- What does this candidate bring to the table ?
- Can I trust him/her ?
It should also highlight your motivations, your strong points, allowing a link between the company, the desired position and you.
How do you present yourself ?
There are two ways to get in touch with a company when looking for a job :
- By responding to a job advertising
- By writing as part of the personal applications that you undertake.
In both cases, the structure of the letter remains the same. It has seven (07) parts :
- The preliminary information: the date on which your request is written; your full name and address; the recipient's job title and address; and finally the subject of the correspondence.
- The exact title of the addressee before going into the content of the letter: "Mr or Mrs Director" when it is a Director; "Mr or Mrs Director General" when it is a Director General.
- If it is a job offer, you should refer to it and express your interest in the position.
- If it is an application to a target company as a result of your own efforts, you should indicate the position you are applying for, and show your interest in the position.
- Your understanding of the company and its needs: present your know-how and your interpersonal skills in relation to the position offered or sought. This part aims to present your qualities and strong points in order to arouse the recruiter's interest.
- Your wish to meet the recruiter for further information on your profile. express your complete availability.
- The greeting.
Note: Never forget to sign your cover letter.
Here are two examples of cover letters:
- Sample covering letter for an unpublished job opportunity
- Sample cover letter for a response to a classified ad