The
best way to
determine what details you should include in the cover letter is to
take a close look at the job description and find the key skills or
qualifications that the organization is looking for. Think of examples
that show that you have these attributes and then try to use these
words in your letter.
Focus
on the reader's
needs, not your own - you want to make it clear how you can help the
organization. Keep use of the words "I" and "me" to a minimum and when
you do use them bury them in the middle of a sentence rather than
placing them at the front. Use terms and phrases that will be
recognized by the employer by keeping techno-jargon to a minimum.
Rather
than repeating
everything from your résumé pick out 2 or 3 key
aspects
and provide examples from your experience that demonstrate these.
Vary
your choice of
words and sentence structure. If your sentences are structured
similarly throughout the letter, then it will not sound interesting and
it will seem mechanically constructed. In terms of word choice, do not
use the same adjectives throughout the letter, but also avoid using
words that come from a thesaurus as they may seem awkward. See Power
Words for a list of alternate descriptor words.
If
you have been
referred by someone whom mentioning might give you an edge, mention
them in your introduction. For example, try "Bill Hughes suggested that
I contact you..."
