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What information should I give in a cover sheet?
Home » Careers » Cover Letters » What information should I give in a cover sheet?Posted by Your Guide on October 12, 2005 5:28 PM
A cover sheet is your chance to put your best foot forward. An employer is not going to hire you based on a cover sheet, but a cover sheet will intrigue an employer and make them begin to consider you as a viable option. To that end, the information you give in a cover sheet should tell who you are and why you fit the company.
After introducing yourself and explaining how you discovered the company and/or the open position, give a brief overview of your career history. Don’t restate your resume, but if there was a position that you held that seems especially related to the open position, mention that. Discuss briefly what you have learned throughout your career and how you have improved as an employee.
Move on to discuss your goals, again with regard to this particular position. Why are you interested in this job and this company? How will this opportunity help you to reach your personal and professional goals?
After discussing how the company can help you, state how you can help the company. This is a difficult but important area; try thinking from the employer’s perspective to determine what kind of applicant they might want to hire. Do you have characteristics that would help you succeed in this job? Do you have experience that makes you a natural fit?
Finally, close your cover sheet with information regarding the next step in the process. Generally, you will want to follow up with the company, so give a timeframe for when you will make your next contact. In addition, provide information on how the company can reach you if it has any questions or needs further information.
You’re putting a lot of information into your cover letter, but you still want to be succinct and direct, so don’t waste much time on stylistic writing. Given that, write a professional and smooth letter than an employer can read easily without missing your main selling points.
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