Cover letters are one of the most important parts of your job application. According to Getcoverletter 78% of hiring managers prefer job applicants to submit a cover letter.

And according to ResumeLab 77% of hiring managers expect a cover letter, even if the job application says it’s optional, despite that being the case only 35% of job applicants submit any cover letter at all.

This makes us wonder what makes cover letters are so important and how to create one that gets the hiring manager attention.

In this article, we’ll discover the importance of cover letters and how you can create one that gets you noticed.

Why Cover Letters Are So Important?

Cover Letters are one of those unwritten rules that most Hiring Managers are expecting from the job applicant.

A good cover letter highlights your best skills and gives a context of your overall skills and experience, which otherwise might not be possible.

They’re a great way to explain your employment gaps, showcase your best skills, personality and how effectively you can communicate. Which all are essential when searching for the best candidate.

Relevant Read: Here’s How To Write A Strong Resume.

How To Write The Best Cover Letter, With Example?

A good Cover Letter format looks like this:

Contact Info:

(Your name)

(Email Address)

(State/Zip/City)

(Phone Number)

(Date)

Company’s Info:

(Hiring Manager name)

(Company Name)

(Company Address)

(City/Zip)

Greetings:

Dear (”Hiring manager”/ or their name)

Intro:

Introduction, where you found the job, and a catchy opening that gets hiring manager attention.

Body Paragraph(s):

Highlighting your skills/experience with proof in 1–2 paragraphs.

Lower Body:

Show your genuine interest and in a polite tone include a relevant CTA. “Thank you for considering my application.

Signature:

Formal sign off, with (Sincerely)

(Your name)

1) Contact Information:

Start with the contact information, although if you’re applying online, it’s not always necessary as you’ve already shared all the contact info on your resume, unless it’s specifically mentioned.

Consider skipping this step, or just copy the same contact information from your resume.

2) Greetings:

While doing your research, if possible, search for the people who will review your job application, which you can find on LinkedIn or on the company’s website.

Start with “Dear (Hiring manager name)” “Dear (Department head name)”

In a case their name isn’t available, you can just greet with “Dear Hiring Manager”. As it’s more appropriate and professional.

3) Intro:

Start with a little enthusiasm and begin your cover letter with something you love about the company, the job role, the industry, the opportunity, or anything that showcases your interest.

This will make your cover letter more personal and avoid generalization.

If you have no what’s so ever interest in any of it, consider moving on to some other job position which might evoke those feelings.

I mean, I get it, you’re looking for a job. You may don’t care about the witty bitty babbling, but if there’s nothing about the job that excites you.

There’s a great chance you might not be a good fit. Showing your interest improves your chances of getting noticed. And it brings the best out of you.

4) Body:

This is where you share your working experience and skills, choose two relevant skills or job experiences, and highlight your value by sharing your journey and how you achieved the ultimate outcome.

When talking about your Job experience/Skills, it’s ideal to give some examples and tangible proof, as it makes your statement more credible.

5) Closing:

In the final section, write an exciting ending that clearly resonates with your interest in the role. Highlight your excitement about the contribution to the role and the end goals of the company.

End your cover letter with a direct and engaging CTA, such as being open to further discuss the role, your experience, or anything that might interest the hiring manager. This will open room for follow up.

6) Signature:

End your cover letter with a professional closing, using words like “Best Regards” or “Sincerely”.

Along with your full legal name.

Example Of A Cover Letter:

Sandy James,

Sandyjames@example.com

456 Elm Avenue, Arlington, VA 22201

(555) 123–4567

1-Oct-2024

Mandy William,

Tech Innovates, Inc

789 Maple Street, Richmond, VA 23220.

Dear Mandy William/Dear Hiring Manager,

I’m thrilled to apply for a Cybersecurity Analyst position at [Tech Innovates/(Company Name)] as advertised. With over 4 years of experience in Cybersecurity. With passion and a familiarity with SIEM tools and conducting thorough analysis to build an effective security strategies.

In my previous role at (Company name) I successfully led a threat detection initiative that focused on spotting Advanced Persistent Threats within the network. I also created a detailed threat model based on the MITRE and ATT&CK framework, conducted in-depth searches for signs of compromise and collaborated with IT team to secure vulnerable systems.

Which led to 70% early detection of threat within the network and reduced the risk of major breaches by identifying threats before they escalated. This also reduced threat incidents over the period of 6 months by 50%. Which boosted security of sensitive data and improved trust with clients for data protection.

I was truly amazed by the award your company received for Outstanding Incident Response that prevented a significant breach for a major healthcare client. Which motivated me to apply for this Job position and would love the opportunity to be a motivated and adaptive team member and further develop and share ever-growing cybersecurity threats. To build long-standing company trust and relationship with your company’s clients.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to possibly discuss my portfolio or any questions or inquiry you have related to my skills or working experience. And contribute to your ever-growing, incredible IT team. Feel free to contact me on your earliest convenience.

Best Regards,

Sandy William.

Dos And Don’ts When Writing A Cover Letter:

Don’ts:

• Avoid using humor, as it can backfire.
• Avoid generic tone.
• Don’t repeat your resume.
• Avoid using generic templates.

Do’s:

• Keep it personalized.
• If possible, mention the name of responsible people.
• Reach out to a coworker or two for a reference.
• Double or even triple proofread your cover letter before submitting.

Relevant Read: Here’s How To Stand Out In Any Job Application With Ease.

Other Considerations:

• Keep your cover letter within one page, with a length of 300–400 words.
• Choose a 12–14 front size.
• Use PDF, or DOC/DOCX format.
• Avoid using Apple page or Google Docs link for the cover letter.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, writing a cover letter requires proper research, and effectively showcasing your experience/skills using tangible proof that makes your job application more impactful.

This will also increase your chances of getting shortlisted. So keep your tone professional and avoid being too friendly.

Using the practices provided above, you can succeed with any cover letter and land your ideal job in no time.