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 can I learn what my qualifications are?

In order to market your abilities in a cover letter, you must know not only what your prospective employer desires, but also what you have to offer prospective employers. One way to build awareness of your qualifications is by thinking carefully about your past. Ask yourself what skills you have used at school or work that can be used at your next place of employment.

For example, if you worked a lot with people for a previous job, you can show you have interpersonal skills that may help you at your next job. These skills are transferable; they are, therefore, transferable skills. A transferable skill is an ability you utilized in your past that can be used at your next place of employment.

When building awareness of your qualifications, keep in mind that there are several transferable skills that are common among most job advertisements. These qualifications include:

• Leadership qualities
• Ability to complete multiple tasks at the same time (employers often call this "multi-tasking")
• Teamwork skills
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Interpersonal skills
• Initiative to complete projects without supervision (employers sometimes refer to this as the "ability to work independently")
• Written communications skills
• Oral communications skills
• Computer skills

To learn what you have to offer employers, you may want to think of ways you can prove you have each of the above skills. Focus on specific instances from your academic and work history that demonstrate you have these abilities.

For example, if you want to know whether you have strong written communications skills, think about your experiences with writing. Have you done any writing at a previous workplace? If so, what kind of writing? Memos, business letters, manuals, reports? Have you taken writing classes at college? Have you won any writing awards?

Before deciding to highlight specific skills in your cover letter, it is essential for you to learn which skills are most relevant to the job for which you are applying. The reason for this is that you should include in your cover letter proof you have the most important qualifications for a position.