Most people think that by writing a resume, they already have a good chance of being hired for the job of their dreams. However, few people know that one resume, or Curriculum Vitae (CV), is not enough. It is necessary to make sure that the employer of the many resumes sent to him is the first to consider yours. You can (and should) tell about your professional suitability and motivation with the help of a cover letter - Cover Letter (or Cover Letter for CV). An example in English will be discussed in this article.
How to write a Cover Letter in English
You will learn what a cover letter should include and get a common algorithm for writing a cover letter for your resume. For some professions, how to write a Cover Letter in English, an example will be given separately.
The named letter includes the words of greeting, the reason for the letter, a description of the skills and abilitiescandidate for the position and words of farewell. Next, we will look at each item in the same way.
Greeting or address
As in any other letter, the address to the addressee must also be present in the Cover letter. Example in English: "Dear Mr. Smith! (Dear Mr. Smith!) or “Dear Ms. Adams!" (Dear Mrs. Adams) If possible, you should find out the name of the person you are going to contact. If this is not possible, then you can simply limit yourself to “Dear Hiring Manager!” (Dear Human Resources Manager). You should avoid greeting "Hello" or "Hi" (Hello), as it suggests a more informal communication. Also, do not write in a generalized way: “To whom it may concern” (To whom it concerns).
However, if you are writing a cover letter in English for a Russian company, then it may be more familiar to just "Good morning, Alexander Mikhailovich" (Good morning, Alexander Mikhailovich) or "Hello, Marina Segreevna" (Hello, Marina Sergeevna).
After the greeting, leave one line blank and introduce yourself. "My name is Maria Pavlova" (My name is Maria Pavlova) or "My name is Sergei Kotov" (My name is Sergei Kotov). You also need to skip one line after this sentence.
Reason for letter
The next step is to state the purpose and reason for the letter in your Cover Letter. An example in English: “I am writing to apply for the position of a manager…” (I am writing to you about a manager’s vacancy…) or “I saw your job vacancy on the… website” (I found your job vacancy on… a website). In the lastcase, you can attach a link to the vacancy.
If someone you know recommended the job in question to you, you can write: "I was told that your company was looking for a photographer" (I was told that your company is looking for a photographer).
It may also be an option when your potential employer asks you to send him your resume. Even if he does not say anything about the cover letter, this does not mean at all that it does not need to be written. It's just that the employer takes it for granted that the candidate already knows that the resume must be supported by a cover letter. In this case, you can write the following phrase in the Cover Letter: “I'm now sending you my resume as you asked” (I am sending you my resume, as you asked). If someone you know has recommended this position or company to you, you can write: "Alex Jones, a colleague of mine, said that your company is looking for a lawyer."
Here are some more examples:
"I would like to learn about employment opportunities in the sales department mentioned on website of your company"
Also worth mentioning is that you attach your resume (and portfolio, if required) to your cover letter. “Please find my resume and portfolio attached to this email” (I am attaching an archive with my resume andportfolio).
Summary of your skills
Before a potential employer opens your resume, they will probably read the cover letter to the end first. Therefore, it is very important to interest the employer in this part of the letter.
In this part, it is worth briefly talking about your education and speci alty. Here you can also describe your professional skills, achievements and skills that could relate to the position in question. In order not to be unfounded, you can support the above with examples. What specific skills did you acquire, how did you use them in your previous job, what results did it bring to the company. Here you can draw a parallel and try to describe how your experience and achievements can affect the company in which you would like to work. All this should be briefly described in your Cover Letter.
English example
A design engineer or a nurse, a teacher or a photographer - they all have in common that one of the main indicators when they are hired is experience. So you can start like this: “Having 5 years experience in the sales department and a strong educational background I strongly believe that can make a significant contribution to…” for the benefit of your … company).
“Presently I am deputed as a senior software programmer, working at … for the last six years”years).
"I have extensive experience in programming in C++, Java and. Net"
It is also worth "directing" a potential employer to continue the conversation. For example: “Hope it will help you to make a decision about future possible collaboration” (I hope this will help you decide on a possible future collaboration). Or “You may reach me at 8-999-999-99-99. I look forward to speaking with you.”
Farewell
Such letters imply fairly simple and standard farewell phrases. For example: "Best regards, Maria Pavlova" (Best regards, Maria Pavlova). Leave a blank line between the last sentence of the letter and the phrase "Best regards". Your first and last name should be written on a new line.
Features of writing a Cover Letter for different professions
Today, many students from Russian universities have the opportunity to go on an internship abroad during the summer holidays. Work and Travel programs are also popular. But in order to get a job abroad, as a rule, you need to send your resume (CV) with a cover letter (Cover Letter) to a potential employer.
Example for student in English
In this case, the greeting can be standard. However, it will be much better if you know who to contact in the letter. This will produce onemployer a positive impression of you.
In the next section, indicate the reason for the letter. For example: “I am interested in applying for the scientific research summer internship position in your company that was listed through the … University Career Center.” Or "Through … website, I learned about your bank's present career opportunities."
If you have already graduated from university or college and are looking for a long-term internship, you can start like this: “I have recently graduated from … University/College and I am currently looking for a job in advertising” and now I am looking for a job in the field of advertising).
Next, you should talk about your work experience, previous internships, participation in conferences and similar events. Tell us where you study or studied: "I am currently in my second year at the … University and am concentrating in finance and accounting" Tell us about your internships: “Over the summer I completed an internship with …” (Last summer I completed an internship at …). It is worth describing the experience that you gained during the internship: “My experiences have provided me with a detailed knowledge of financial institutions and have enhancedmy interest in pursuing a financial career.”
If you are writing to a potential employer in another country, it is unlikely that it will be convenient for him to call you on the phone. Therefore, after parting, it is advisable to indicate, in addition to the phone number, several other contact details so that the employer can choose the most convenient one from them. For example, you can write an email address (if you are not writing an email), skype, Facebook account.
How to write a Cover letter to a doctor
If you have just completed your graduate studies at a medical university or you are a medical practitioner and want to change jobs, you will need to write a Cover Letter. We will now consider an example in English for a doctor.
The greeting and the reason for the letter can be standard, as at the beginning of the article. In this case, it is worth focusing on the description of your education and work experience. Write what position you are applying for. Tell us about your education: “I am a student at … University, pursuing bachelor’s degree in Biology” or
"My 9 years' extensive experience, associate degree in medical assisting would enable me to contribute to … Clinic in the role of a Medical Assistant" contribution to … the clinic as a paramedic).
Not so important, onwhat position are you applying for. In any case, you must attach a cover letter to your resume. So, even waiters will benefit from writing a good cover letter, especially if you want to get a job in a prestigious restaurant.
How to write a cover letter in the service industry
Now another Cover Letter - an example in English for a waiter. In it, after a standard greeting and a description of the reason for the letter, proceed to describe your experience and education. Here you can specify any work related to customer service. Your summer job at a fast food restaurant or part-time bartending is also work experience. For example: "I have previous waitressing experience and strong customer service skills, having worked as a waitress for over two years while studying at high school." waiter while studying at school). Or “I worked in four star hotel restaurant for 3 months last summer in Greece.”
If you have little experience, then it is worth briefly describing your responsibilities and what you have learned during this time: “I am great at multi-tasking and can take on many guests at one time” (I am multitasking and can serve several guests at the same time). Next, you should talk about your personal qualities: “I am personable and welcoming and havereally enjoyed working as a waiter” (I am sociable and friendly, and I really enjoyed working as a waiter). At the end of the letter, you can indicate the desired type of communication, say goodbye and mention the attached resume.
As you can see, writing a cover letter is not that difficult. The main thing is to be sincere and not to write too long cover letters. Employers receive dozens and sometimes hundreds of applications that they must read. Your task as a candidate is to write a concise letter that will attract a potential employer the first time.
