1. The size of the letter should not exceed 250 words
According to an Orange County Resume Survey study, 70% of employers prefer a cover letter of no more than half a page.
But do not put brevity at the forefront: do not get off with a lone line like “Please see attached CV, and thank you for your time”, take the time and write a few paragraphs of meaningful “catchy” text that will help to stand out among many competitors.
2. Do not leave the Subject field empty
Lydia Ramsey, business etiquette expert, advises:
“Never leave the Subject field blank or be limited to one job code. It must clearly indicate the vacancy for which you are applying. For example: "Bilingual CPA seeks account manager position." For creative professions, a more creative approach is also suitable, something like “3 Reasons I’m an Excellent Fit for the Designer Position”.
Please note that, unlike the Russian language, in English all significant heading words are capitalized.
3. Contact a specific person
If you know the name and surname of the person to whom your letter is addressed, contact by name and surname.
If this is not so, just call the organization and check with the administrator (only if no phone calls are indicated in the job description). Observe subordination, instead of “Dear Robert” write “Dear Mr Key”.
If you are not sure if you are addressing a letter to a man or woman, use the first and last name: "Dear Sydney Doe."
If you do not know to whom exactly the letter is addressed, write “Dear Hiring Manager”.
After the appeal, a comma is put in the letters in English, and the first sentence is put in a new line and capital letter.
4. Do not start your letter with clericalism
John Lees, UK Career Strategy Specialist, says:
“People usually start their letters with“ I’m applying for X job that I saw in Y place. ” This is a waste of text. Start with a strong introductory sentence. ”
Start with a shocking replica: why this work attracts you and why exactly you are suitable for it.
Examples:
"I am a (designer, project manager ...) with more than ... years of experience and I’d love to bring my expertise and enthusiasm to your growing development team."
"As a (Project Manager) for ABC Company, I manage operations for a (number) + - employee organization."
5. Do not try to seem funny
John Lees believes that humor often does not produce the desired impression or sounds like you are admiring yourself.
Here is another pitfall: what seems funny to you in Russian may not be so fun (or even completely unacceptable) in English. Beware of any manifestation of sexism, ageism or homophobia - you can not only not be hired, but you will also get a “wolf ticket”.
6. Be short (write tight!)
Introductory constructions like “as a matter of fact or in my opinion” may be good in an oral English exam, but in your cover letter they look completely redundant.
7. Make sure the offer is complete and short enough
Remember that the longer the sentence, the easier it is to make mistakes in it. Sometimes job seekers, for example, forget to finish it (“Although I work in ABC company”) or, on the contrary, make it too long. Avoid both. If one sentence can be divided into two - do it.
8. Indent between paragraphs
Some people have a habit of making a red line, but to save space, they have remained since the school bench. Remember: the personnel officer has only a few seconds to decide whether he will read your letter and resume. When you see a solid text (even with a red line), this desire comes to naught. If paragraphs are indented from each other, the text appears neater.
9. Complete your letter with the words Best Regards before signing
This is the safest and most neutral phrase, perfect for completing correspondence. You can also use the more formal version of "Yours sincerely."
According to an Orange County Resume Survey study, 70% of employers prefer a cover letter of no more than half a page.
But do not put brevity at the forefront: do not get off with a lone line like “Please see attached CV, and thank you for your time”, take the time and write a few paragraphs of meaningful “catchy” text that will help to stand out among many competitors.
2. Do not leave the Subject field empty
Lydia Ramsey, business etiquette expert, advises:
“Never leave the Subject field blank or be limited to one job code. It must clearly indicate the vacancy for which you are applying. For example: "Bilingual CPA seeks account manager position." For creative professions, a more creative approach is also suitable, something like “3 Reasons I’m an Excellent Fit for the Designer Position”.
Please note that, unlike the Russian language, in English all significant heading words are capitalized.
3. Contact a specific person
If you know the name and surname of the person to whom your letter is addressed, contact by name and surname.
If this is not so, just call the organization and check with the administrator (only if no phone calls are indicated in the job description). Observe subordination, instead of “Dear Robert” write “Dear Mr Key”.
If you are not sure if you are addressing a letter to a man or woman, use the first and last name: "Dear Sydney Doe."
If you do not know to whom exactly the letter is addressed, write “Dear Hiring Manager”.
After the appeal, a comma is put in the letters in English, and the first sentence is put in a new line and capital letter.
4. Do not start your letter with clericalism
John Lees, UK Career Strategy Specialist, says:
“People usually start their letters with“ I’m applying for X job that I saw in Y place. ” This is a waste of text. Start with a strong introductory sentence. ”
Start with a shocking replica: why this work attracts you and why exactly you are suitable for it.
Examples:
"I am a (designer, project manager ...) with more than ... years of experience and I’d love to bring my expertise and enthusiasm to your growing development team."
"As a (Project Manager) for ABC Company, I manage operations for a (number) + - employee organization."
5. Do not try to seem funny
John Lees believes that humor often does not produce the desired impression or sounds like you are admiring yourself.
Here is another pitfall: what seems funny to you in Russian may not be so fun (or even completely unacceptable) in English. Beware of any manifestation of sexism, ageism or homophobia - you can not only not be hired, but you will also get a “wolf ticket”.
6. Be short (write tight!)
Introductory constructions like “as a matter of fact or in my opinion” may be good in an oral English exam, but in your cover letter they look completely redundant.
7. Make sure the offer is complete and short enough
Remember that the longer the sentence, the easier it is to make mistakes in it. Sometimes job seekers, for example, forget to finish it (“Although I work in ABC company”) or, on the contrary, make it too long. Avoid both. If one sentence can be divided into two - do it.
8. Indent between paragraphs
Some people have a habit of making a red line, but to save space, they have remained since the school bench. Remember: the personnel officer has only a few seconds to decide whether he will read your letter and resume. When you see a solid text (even with a red line), this desire comes to naught. If paragraphs are indented from each other, the text appears neater.
9. Complete your letter with the words Best Regards before signing
This is the safest and most neutral phrase, perfect for completing correspondence. You can also use the more formal version of "Yours sincerely."
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