FREE 9+ Cover Letters You Need to Read Now in PDF

Nowadays, people seem to wonder if cover letters are still needed to apply for a job. The simple answer is, “YES,” unless it has been stated otherwise by the potential employer. The reason for this is the fact that cover letters, if written well enough, still prove to be a good tool to measure how qualified a job candidate is for the job vacancy.

We are already in the middle of 2017. If you have yet to modify that template you have for your cover letter, then you better keep on reading and check out 10 cover letters that you should definitely read. The various examples presented range from traditional ways of writing a cover letter to creative and conversational ways. Can you even believe that there are acceptable cover letters that can be written with just five sentences in it? We will present these and more on this very article. Check out the downloadable samples we have below and read guidelines and tips that we will be including as well.

Referral Cover Letter Example

Referrals in the workplace are very common nowadays. If you have been referred by a friend or a colleague to a new job opportunity, it would be a good idea to mention his/her name. Typically, you mention the name of the person immediately in the first few lines of your letter. To know more about this type of cover letter, you may use the sample cover letter above as a reference.

Cover Letters for Creative Positions

Applying for a creative position? If your answer is yes, then we want to let you know that there are ways of showing how creative you can be through your cover letter. Finding it hard to believe? Just check out the cover letter sample we have above. This cover letter shows that an ordinary cover can be seen as a witty and humorous document that will still do the job it is intended for.

Five-Sentence Cover Letter

A ton of people will ask how long their cover letters should be. Part of the typical cover letter writing tips you would find on the Internet would suggest that you make your cover letters just one page long. One page that would contain all of the necessary information you need to tell the potential employer. Would you believe us if we tell you that five sentences are actually enough for one cover letter? Would you also believe that these five sentences already contain all of the necessary things that you need tell your potential employer? If you are finding this hard to believe, then you better check out the example above. Five sentences were all the job applicant needed and we’re pretty sure that you will definitely end up with a one-page cover letter with that number of sentences. Wanna try it out? Do not hesitate to download the letter example and use it as your reference.

Career Transition Cover Letter

Changing careers will always be a tough choice and will always have its challenges along the way. One of these challenges would be trying to look for your next job venture. The example above is a good sample career change cover letter. These cover letters need to show the potential employer that you deserve a chance to be given a shot at the vacant job position despite your choice of changing to another career as your experience and skills from the previous job/s you had are applicable to the new position.

Email Cover Letter for 2017

Email cover letters are not uncommon nowadays, especially that a lot of companies have adapted to advanced means of job application screenings. This cover letter shows what a good email cover letter would look like. It would look a lot like any other cover letter except that you would have to ensure that mistakes and errors are at zero to minimal since a lot of email cover letters are screened using a machines or software.

Elements of a Good Cover Letter

Cover letters will be considered excellent and well written if they have all the essential elements of a cover letter. You have to make sure that all of these elements are present. So now you ask what these elements are.

• Basic Information. The basic information talks about your personal letterhead and the details about the recipient. These elements will include names, contact numbers, addresses, email addresses, job designation (for the recipient), and professional online profiles.
• Date. The date of your letter is found in between your information and your recipient. It pertains to the date when you write the letter.
• Greeting. The greeting of your cover letter should include the name of the contact person. You have to make sure to spell it out correctly.
• Body of the letter. This is where you will introduce yourself, where you will highlight all of your relevant skills and experiences, and tell the contact person a call-to-action after reading your letter. You also have to make sure that you end your letter on a positive note to give out an enthusiastic and happy vibe to the employer.
• Closing and signature. Close your letter appropriately and leave a few spaces for your name. Above your name, affix your signature. If you are sending your cover letter via email, a typed name may serve as your signature and your contact information should be below your typed name.

 

Inclusions in the Body of Your Cover Letter

The body of the letter for cover letters serves as the main course. This is where you explain to the employer why you consider yourself to be a good fit for the vacant position and what makes you unique from the other applicants. To give you a good idea about what you have to include in the body, here are a few tips.

• Introduce yourself properly. Briefly let the employer know who you are, the position you applied for, and how you got to know about the job opening.
• Highlight your strengths and qualifications. Let the employer know why you are a good match. Point out all of the work experiences you had that can be related to the open position. Make use of keywords by reading through the job posting and picking out the right words to incorporate in your cover letter. It will give the impression that you are eager and that you have made all of the necessary research needed for the job.
• Explain things that are not found in your resume. Your resume might not be able to cover everything about you. This is where your cover letters do their job. They cover all of the items that your resume may not reflect such as the reasons why they will benefit from you should they consider to hire you, plus, it gives a better overview of what you are as an employee.
• Elaborate skills and achievements. Let the employer know about specific instances where you were able to display your skills, as well as circumstances where you have achieved specific achievements. This will let the employer picture out how you work as an individual, as well as in teams.

 

Why Customize Your Cover Letters?

Cover letters that have been targeted for the specific job you are applying for are preferred. Another reason why you should customize your cover letter is the fact that it helps to make your cover letter stand out from the rest as you are able to talk about the job position on a more personal level.

Cover letter customization also helps to get the message across that you are highly interested in the job. Your cover letter is your opportunity to convincing the employer that you are passionate about the opportunity and that you are willing to learn more about the job as you go along.

One more thing about customizing your cover letters is the fact that it will be telling the manager more about which of your skills are most relevant and will be beneficial to the job vacancy.

One last thing about customizing your cover letters is the fact that a ton of companies make use of automated screening machines to make the selection process. The machines/software used to determine whether the applicant is qualified or not look for the appropriate keywords. Incorporating the correct keywords in your cover letter increases your chances of passing the screening process.

Zero Experience Cover Letter Example

Nowadays, experience impacts your cover letter so much that job applicants who have little to no experience might find it hard to land a good-paying job. However, this does not mean that you should just give up and be a couch potato for the rest of your life. Instead, you should be more competitive and ensure that your cover letter would reflect how you are still a good contender for the position despite your lack of experience. Do it just like how it was done by the job applicant in the example above. He went for humor in this cover letter and made it conversational instead of making use of formal language. Download this cover letter sample and use it as a reference if you want to make a fun and unique entry-level cover letter.

Recent Grad Cover Letter Sample

If you have just recently graduated, you might be intimidated by the other job applicants out there whose experiences are extensive. You should never feel this way. A lot of the job applicants whose experience is almost two pages long started with a thin resume. Everyone also started from the bottom before they got to where they are right now. You have to show that you are eager and are willing to learn the tricks and trade of the job. You should also let the employer know how your experiences in school, academic-related or otherwise, can help you be the best person for the job. Take a glimpse at the sample we have above and try to make one that is similar.

Best Cover Letter Template 2017

This cover letter template is a good example of a cover letter that will help you out in making one of the best cover letters for your job search. It highlights all of the information that is deemed to be important for the job position and the job search. You may follow the template and modify it according to what the job needs and what your experiences and skills are.

Example of Cover Letter Layout for 2017

The layout of your cover letter follows the business letter layout. To know more about what it is, you can refer to the sample above. It shows you what the content of each section of the cover letter should be and what information is needed. This cover letter layout is perfect for those who are starting out with cover letters or those who are having a hard time figuring out what needs to be included in a cover letter.

Employer Specific Cover Letter Format

Employer-specific cover letters basically possess the same cover letter formats as the other cover letters you might find out there. However, the middle part of the letter’s body is quite unique. It directly attacks what the employer is looking for and the applicant will, in turn, give his/her qualifications or experiences that would answer to the specific need of the employer for the position. Making use of this format is bold, yet it directly shows the employer that you possess the correct skills needed for the position. If you are someone who has extensive experience or specializes in a specific position, you may refer to this sample cover letter.

Editing and Proofreading

One of the most common cover letter mistakes most people make is forgetting to proofread and edit their cover letters. You would want to make sure that you do not commit this mistake.

Employers go through a ton of application documents on a daily basis, so they would surely know whether you have committed a mistake on your cover letter or not. Another thing is the fact that cover letters that have errors in spelling and grammar barely pass automated machines and software.

Always remember to proofread and edit your letters before you decide to send it to a potential employer. Go through your letter several times. You may also want to ask for help from your friends and family when it comes to proofreading your letter. You should also make sure to check the spelling of the name of your contact and company, and that the job title is also correct.

Things to Consider That Are Often Overlooked

Oftentimes, you may be so invested with what to put on your cover letter that you forget the other things that you should also consider when it comes to cover letters.

One of the most common things that job applicants tend to overlook is the paper to be used. Unless otherwise stated, you should always make use of paper that is in letter size (8.5″ × 11″). A grade of at least 20lb should be used as these paper grade tend to be more sturdy and are less likely to crumple.

The margins of your cover letter should also be kept at 0.5″ to 1″. Making use of the white space on your letter helps to make it more readable.

Keeping your cover letter short can never be stressed enough. One page is enough for a job cover letter. This is one of the common ways job applicants mess up their cover letters. If you find yourself starting to stray away from the needs of the job vacancy, then you should probably start over or start making an outline about what you should include. Just make sure you keep everything simple and straight to the point.

You should also remember to keep the font of your cover letter professional. Make use of Sans Serif and other Serif fonts. Though it may seem to you that using multiple fonts on your cover letter will give the impression that you are a fun person, it definitely won’t as it will just give the reader a headache. At most, two fonts can be used, but just make sure that these complement each other well.

You see, cover letters should never be seen as a complicated document to write. We are hoping that you learned a lot from the cover letter examples we have included, as well as the guidelines and tips we have collected for you to use with your cover letter-writing task. If you are ever confused about how to start your cover letter, just remember to start it strong and straight to the point.