What is a cover letter?

What should I include in my cover letter?

How can I learn what will impress prospective employers?

How do I read a job advertisement carefully?

How can I learn what my qualifications are?

What if I don't have a qualification the employer is seeking?

Why is it important to learn about companies before preparing my cover letter?

How do I format my cover letter?

How do I organize my cover letter?

What do I include in my heading?

To whom should I address my letter?

What do I write in my introduction?

How do I approach writing my argument?

What should I include in my argument?

In my argument, should I show off my knowledge of the company?

What do I include in my closing?

Is there anything I should do before sending my cover letter to potential employers?

How do I approach writing my argument?

Your argument is the most important part of your cover letter, because it allows you to persuade your reader why you are the best person for the job. Carefully choose what to include in your argument, because you don't have much space. You want your argument to be as powerful as possible, but you don't want to bog down your reader in excessive details about your past.

In your argument, you should aim to:

• Show your reader you possess the most important skills s/he seeks.
• Convince your reader that the company will benefit from hiring you.
• Write two to three short, well-written paragraphs.
• Include in each paragraph a strong reason why your employer should hire you.
• Avoid explaining your resume.
• Maintain a friendly tone.

When writing your argument, remember that it is essential for you to learn as much as possible about the best person for the job. What kind of individual is your potential employer most likely to hire? What kind of skills, work experience, and degrees would this person have? Once you have answered these questions, ask yourself how you can show in your argument that you are the person your prospective employer seeks.

To learn about the best person for the job, you should read your job advertisement carefully, learn what a company values, and talk to people with "inside information." Through completing these steps, you should learn what qualifications are most important for a specific position.