Are you out to get that dream job you have been pining for? To do this, your cover letter should be properly laid out to cover all possible bases and improve your chances of landing that job. A first class cover letter format is then in order.
Remember that your cover letter is, more or less, a sales letter in which you, your skills, and your work experience are the products being sold. Thus, you should treat your cover letter as a business letter that has an official sense of purpose. Your cover letter should have three paragraphs all in all.
The first paragraph should discuss the reasons as to why you are writing to your prospective employer. Explain to him or her how the open position in the company has come to your attention. If your letter is in response to a job posting made by the company, you should state how you got hold of the posted job ad. Do not forget to specify just what position you are interested in. This is quite a crucial mistake committed by a lot of people around the world. The sad fact of the matter is, should this mistake be committed, the HR personnel would most likely set aside your cover letter in an instant.
The second paragraph should explain what it is about you that would make you an asset to the company. This is the portion where you need to sell yourself. Bring to light whatever jobs you have held in the past, as well as the skills that they had once required of you. Also, special achievements and projects you once participated in should be included. This way, your prospective employer can see for himself or herself how much of an asset you can be, should they decide to go on and hire you. If you have quite an extensive list of job experience and achievements, go ahead and break this paragraph into two or three parts. Just make sure that your format and your flow remains consistent all throughout.
The last paragraph forms out the conclusion. You should inform your prospective employer how you intend to follow up on the open position. Specify when you would be contacting them, as well as the method. Make it a point to keep in touch because your own credibility is at stake here.
Keep this cover letter format in mind, and you just might notice an increase in prospective job offers for you in the near future.
