How to Write a Cover Letter

Knowing how to write a cover letter in the best possible way can be a vital step in a job application. A resume cover letter lets a potential employer know who you are, and what skills and experiences you may have before they look at your CV. Here, you'll find a cover letter model to base your first cover letter draft on.

# Cover Letter Sample
# Standard Format of a Cover Letter
# Tips for Writing a Cover Letter
# How to Edit a Cover Letter Template

Cover Letter Template

This is a free cover letter template. Free Download and customize it according to the sample text below.

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Cover Letter Sample (Text)

Your Name
Your Address Line 1
Your Address Line 2
Your Address Line 3
Your Postcode
Your Phone Number
Your Email

Contact Name
Company Name
Company Address Line 1
Company Address Line 2
Company Address Line 3
Company Postcode
Company Number
Company Email

Date

Dear Contact Name,

Re: Job Title

I am writing in response to the advertisement for the above post and am attaching my CV for your information. I have decided to apply for this position because I feel that taking this next step in my employment experience would be extremely beneficial to myself and my growing career skillset. As you will see on my CV, I have worked in several related positions. I have always enjoyed the team ethic that comes with working in a solidly arranged team and would relish the opportunity to be involved with your team at Company Name.

I have some prior experience in leadership roles, and I have training in leadership skills, as well. I am a confident individual with excellent self-management skills, and the ability to motivate and encourage others. I have extensive experience in several roles that connect to customer service and retail, including high-pressure roles in seasonal work, as well as contract work. Due to the range of jobs I've held in the past, I've worked in many different team sizes, and I find it easy and enjoyable to integrate myself into a team dynamic that already exists.

I have a very positive attitude, and I am quite flexible in my working hours. I have high organisational skills, and this allows me to remain not only punctual, but to complete any tasks I am given efficiently and within any given time constraints. I am known to frequently exceed what is expected of me, and I thrive well under pressure. I am someone who greatly enjoys a challenge when it is given to me. In my previous position, I was given several duties that relate to this position, including dealing with customer enquiries and complaints, which could be very beneficial in this new position.

I have been looking for the opportunity to further develop my employable skills. I feel this opportunity with Company Name would not only further my own skills and allow me to grow as a person and an employee, but also allow me to develop my career path in a direction that would benefit the most to me. I can see that in your job description training and career progression is offered, and I feel that this could be an advantage for me to grow of my career prospects.

I am excited to discuss my application with you further, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Your Name

Standard Format of a Cover Letter

A professional start: When beginning your cover letter draft, like in this cover letter model, you should start with your name, address, and contact details on the right-hand side. This is standard practice for all letters and will make your resume cover letter look much more professional. Following your own details, you should write the details of the company on the left side. Next, add the date, to ensure that the person reading your cover letter knows when you applied. If you don't know how to write a cover letter, follow the cover letter model above.

Greeting: Address the recruiting representative by name where possible, and then add a tagline to your cover letter draft which addresses which job you're applying for. By addressing a person, you show that you've done some research into the position and the company and adding the job title helps the representative know which of their vacancies you're looking to apply for.

Opening: When you've finished this, it's time for the opening of your cover letter draft. Start with a quick note about what you're applying for, and where you found the job description. Add a brief note about why you feel you'd be a good fit for the position and the company, without going into too much detail.

Explaining your strengths: You need to know how to sell yourself in a cover letter. This section can naturally cover 1 to 2 paragraphs in a resume cover letter, but it's important that you don't spend too much time overthinking what you're writing. List some of your skills, match them up to jobs you've done previously, and the position you're applying for. Make sure you add in at least one example of a skill you've listed. This is the section where an employer looks for a dedicated worker who is a team player. Someone who fits the job role well.

Reason for your application: Why are you applying for this position? Tell the potential employer how you could benefit from the position, and why you, above all other applications, have something different or new to offer their company. Make yourself stand out.

Closing: Politely close off with a hopeful message that conveys that you look forward to speaking with the company about your application in some way. Sign off professionally and add your name to the end.

Tips for Writing Cover Letter

Now you know the basics on how to write a cover letter, and hopefully you've read through the above writing a cover letter example, it's time for a few professional tips to get you through your application process, and the first cover letter draft you write.

Sell yourself. You need to properly market yourself and your skills when you're writing a resume cover letter. It's vital that an employer can see all of your strengths and none of your weaknesses.
Tell a story. Telling a story with one or more of your skills shows that you know how to properly incorporate that skill into your work life, and how it can benefit your work, or your customers.
Stay positive. No employer wants to read any negative comments or experiences in a cover letter. They want someone with a can-do attitude from the get-go.
Try not to talk about your education. Education is over-rated in the world of work, and employers can clearly see how well educated you are from your CV. They don't want to hear about the modules you've taken, and how that makes you qualified. They want real life experience.
Don't be overly formal. Stick to semi-formal language, remain professional, but still a little chatty. You don't need to use a thesaurus to write your cover letter. If you find yourself changing words, stop.
Keep it personalised. Employers can tell when you're using a pre-written cover letter. Personalise as many attributes as possible and keep your resume cover letter true to you. You can start with a cover letter model, like the one available here, but you'll need to radically change it, and write in your own experiences.

Use this cover letter sample for job application requirements, it'll help you write your own until you're confident in writing one by yourself. Never use a pre-written cover letter, they're easy to spot, and it won't sound like you. Impress your potential new employer with your skills, and be confident in yourself.

How to Edit Cover Letter Template

After knowing how to write a cover letter in this page, you need to download the free PDF cover letter templates and make it your own cover letter. To edit the template, you can try PDFelement, the best PDF editor. With this professional tool, you can make any modifications to the PDF cover letter templates, including the texts, images, forms, graphics and even signatures in it.