Start with a warm and professional greeting. This person is considering hiring you – so your opening line should encourage them to think of you as someone they would like to work with. “Dear Mr. Smith,” “Dear John Smith” or “Mr Smith,” are all appropriate.  Anything extremely casual should be changed to err on the side of formality. If you do not know the name of the person doing the hiring then you should start with “Dear Sir/Madam,” this is a great way to set a professional tone from the get-go.

  • Get to the point

Your cover letter is not the time to write a novel about yourself. Let the employer know why you are contacting them, what skills you have that make you the right person for this position, and where they can find more information about your work experience.

  • Hit the highlights

Most job postings will give you very clear hints about the type of skills the desired candidate will have. If you have these skills, you should mention them – repeating the employer’s needs for the role and how you fill those criteria will make it clear that you are the right person for the job.

  • Follow directions

Many potential employers will ask candidates to fulfil a specific request in their cover letter. This is designed to help them quickly weed through applications, and cull out those who are taking the “copy and paste” approach to submitting resumes. If you are asked to answer specific questions or include a keyword in your reply, make sure you do it. As an added bonus, calling out that they have requested this information is a great way to let them know you are about to make their hiring decision even easier.

  • Close the sale

Make sure you let them know your availability for the position and invite them to contact you to discuss further. It is essentially a polite way to “ask for the job” and reinforce your enthusiasm for working with the employer.

  • Reread, edit and consider

Before you click “send” take another look at the job description. Did you address all of their criteria in your cover letter? If you were the person hiring for this position, would your cover letter fit the bill? Does your profile and you portfolio support your application for this job? (If not, don’t apply!) Save your energy for a position that better suits your skills and abilities. If you are unsure, ask a friend to review the job posting and your cover letter, and listen carefully to their perspective – they might find a hidden gem that makes the difference in you landing the job.

Cover Letter Review Service

At Express Proofreading, we understand the vital role a Cover letter can play in the job market today. We’re committed to helping you write to the best of your ability whilst still retaining ownership of your work. As part of our cover letter review service we will not only proofread your cover letter to ensure that it has no grammatical errors but we will also recommend changes that may assist you in writing an engaging and compelling cover letter that stands out from the crowd