06 Jan, 2009
Some conclusions about writing a cover letter
Posted by: Anca Alimanescu In: Career Management
When deciding to get a job or to change our current working place we are often confronted with this question of what should my cover letter contain now. Of course the answer varies according to the geographical location and the kind of job you are interested in getting. There are however some key ideas that are available in software development too.
A very good place for asking such questions and getting qualified answers is in a Questions &Answers topic on LinkedIn . Below are some of the conclusions to this question.
Things that it should contain:
- Be short, not more than 1 page in length.
- Be personalized; the candidate has done some research and has and understanding of what the company does and what the position likely entails.
- They have called out the Unique Value Proposition of the candidate and what specifically they have done that will be applicable in the new role and how they will be able to help out.
- They have been positive and upbeat. They have shown excitement and energy
- They finish with a request for action – a meeting (phone or face-to-face) with the intent to explore the opportunity in more detail.
Things that it should not contain:
- It should not be generic and one size fits all.
- It should not be a rehashing of your resume, whether you enclose the resume or not
- It should not be long and rambling.
- Basically anything that doesn’t move the conversation forward. Leave out anything that allows a person to start thinking ‘no’.
Possible pattern to follow:
- Greeting (best if you have a name, but a generic “Dear Hiring Professional” will do)
- Paragraph 1: no more than 2-3 sentences. What position you are applying for, how you heard about it.
- Paragraph 2: why the company should consider *you*, in detail. Keep it as targeted as possible with no more than 3-5 sentences.
- Paragraph 3: when you are reachable, best way to reach you.
- Closing: name/contact info (phone AND email.)
For sending your cover letter by e-mail, if you choose this option, make sure to send it from a business-like email address, not the “cute one” that we use with friends and acquaintances.
