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Sample cover letter to employer when submitting resume. How to prepare a cover letter? Creative way to send email

A cover letter of this type may be needed in 2 cases:

1) If it must be written by a graduate who does not yet have work experience.

2) A cover letter should be written to a person who is changing profession - according to new profession no experience.

In these 2 cases, the accents in the cover letter need to be placed differently, so we will consider these cases separately.

How to write a cover letter with no work experience to a graduate

What to focus on?

topic of the thesis term papers), if it is related to the vacancy,
work experience within the practice (for example, pre-diploma),
community/volunteer experience
personal qualities (with an emphasis on those that are important for the employer; which ones - read in the job description),
achievements, awards (victories in contests, competitions, etc.),
additional training (courses, programs, etc.), certificates obtained as a result of training,
links to your publications, portfolio, blog. Links to social media accounts if you frequently post on professional topics.

Why are these points important?

The weakest point of a graduate is the lack of work experience. You need to try to compensate for this feature: to show that you have knowledge, abilities, potential; or already have practical experience, even if it is calculated as one month of work.

All important points need to fit in the text of no more than half a page (5-10 sentences), so you should be very careful about the information that you provide in your cover letter. The best guideline is the job description. For example, the employer has identified leadership qualities as mandatory for the applicant, and you have experience as a counselor, or you were the captain of a sports team in your student days. Mention this in your cover letter.

How to write a cover letter without work experience - structure

Keep the following document structure:

Greeting (it is better to address a specific person if the contact person is indicated in the ad; if not, you can write “Dear employer!”.
Brief introduction of yourself (who you are, what your name is, what position you are applying for).
Your main motive is why you are interested in this vacancy.
Reasons why an employer should look to you Special attention(experience information practical activities, knowledge, achievements).
Expression of readiness to provide more detailed information about yourself.

It’s good if you collect information about the company or about a specific unit (department, department), and you manage to “throw a bridge” between the values of the company, its methods of work or goals - and your knowledge, experience, values.

For example, a company widely uses software which you know well. Or the company plans to enter Western markets, and you are fluent in English or other foreign languages. Finally, the company is fond of volleyball: competitions are regularly held in which a large number of employees - and you play volleyball very well.

Find the points where you and the employer match - and note this in your cover letter.

Graduate cover letter example

Vacancy "Content Manager" in a marketing and advertising agency.

“Good afternoon, dear Vladimir!

My name is Ludmila Ivanova. I want to take part in the competition for the vacancy "Content Editor" (announcement on the Rabota.org website dated 12/23/16).

In June 2016 I graduated from Voronezh State University majoring in Philology (English, German, French). Philology is my vocation; From my early school years, I was good at writing essays. In grades 9-10 she worked as an editor of the school newspaper.

During my studies at the university, I collaborated with 2 publications as an author of articles:

with the magazine "Correct decision" (a publication about business); 8 articles on business topics, including analytical materials,
with the online magazine "Pulse Voronezh"; more than 50 articles (led a news column).

Have experience of cooperation with the Business 2 Community Portal: 10 of my career-related articles have been published (you can view them via my profile on this portal).

I am good with the word as a tool, but I want to go further and gain experience in content management. I know that in your studio I could grow as a specialist, as you work on complex tasks and create successful products.

In the field of content management, I have no experience yet, but there is a theoretical basis. I am subscribed to the news of portals that regularly share their best practices in the field of content management: [ portal names]. You will direct my efforts in the right direction - and in six months you will have a competent content manager on your staff, active in terms of self-education and striving for continuous professional development. As an author of articles creating a quality product, I can speak today. And I can create content in Russian and English language(at least; if necessary, in German and French).

Ready at any time to answer your questions and tell you more about yourself.

Summary is in the attachment.

Thank you in advance for your time.

You can contact me at e-mail and by tel. [telephone].

With respect and hope for cooperation, Lyudmila.

The underlined fragments are those in which they will be relevant. active links.

How to write a cover letter for a resume with no work experience when changing profession

The complexity of the situation for a person changing profession lies in the fact that he actually has no experience in new specialty. A change of profession means "zeroing" the merits and achievements that have been accumulated up to this point. Hence - all the difficulties of finding a job, typical for job seekers without experience, including the difficulty in writing cover resume that will be of interest to the employer.

In the case of a change of profession, the following emphasis should be made in the cover letter:

List the skills and achievements that are relevant to the new profession and to the specific job. For example, you successfully coordinated the activities of a working group of 10 people. It is an achievement - and related skills - that can be used in any job, regardless of profile; therefore, they add value to the applicant in the eyes of the employer. There are quite a lot of such skills: communicative, analytical; a high level of knowledge of computer programs that are widely used; knowledge of foreign languages, etc.
Show that you already have a theoretical basis for successful work in a new profession. For example, you completed training courses or completed several tasks for employers/customers as a freelancer - and did well.
Emphasize that you are quick to learn new things. To do this, it is not enough to write that one of your personal qualities is a quick learner. Give an example when you mastered new information in a short time: for example, you learned to use a computer program, or you mastered and used other working tools, methods, and techniques in practice.
Focus on motivation. Emphasize that you want to get this particular job in this particular company. In many cases, the employer is ready to hire a candidate without experience, but with a sincere desire to work productively.

Sample cover letter for career change

Vacancy - SMM-manager in a chain of stores household appliances.

"Dear Sergey!

My name is Vladimir Eremeev, I am an applicant for the vacancy "SMM-manager".

For the past 10 years I have worked as an executive assistant/secretary and translator. SMM became interested six months ago when I realized that I was ready to change my professional trajectory - I wanted a more stable work schedule, less dependence on the leader’s schedule, while leaving room for self-realization and making independent decisions. The idea came by itself: I realized that my accounts in in social networks popular, and without much effort on my part.

For six months I studied theory, staying on permanent job and experimented in practice. Completed SMM courses organized by marketing agency"Idea!" (3 months of training). Created three experimental groups: on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and used the knowledge gained to increase attendance and activity in the groups. The latest Facebook group contest saw a 500% increase in group members and a 250% increase in daily visits.

The main reason why I am interested in your vacancy is that for the last 2 years I have been an assistant director of a company that distributes household appliances. I am familiar with the features of household appliances from different manufacturers, I understand the values and needs target audience. This knowledge will allow me to quickly get up to speed and establish effective communication with customers in your chain of stores.

Ready to provide more detailed information in a form convenient for you.

My e-mail, my phone. [telephone].

Thank you in advance for the time given to my candidacy.

Sincerely, Vladimir Eremeev.

The set of advantages, achievements, personal qualities that should be noted in the cover letter is determined individually for each applicant: there is no set of universal “pluses” that will convince the employer of the applicant’s value. Think about your strengths - taking into account knowledge, experience (professional and life), personal qualities, goals and values - try to connect them with the requirements of the vacancy and write about it in your cover letter.

When employed in budget organization transmittal letter to the resume - it is almost a mandatory attribute today. Many personnel officers do not even open a resume if there is no “accompaniment” or it is compiled incorrectly. We will tell in the article how to prepare a successful appeal and what its structure should be.

Why do you need

A cover note is an important additional part to the questionnaire, which enables the applicant for a vacant position to attract the attention of the employer. We will tell in the article about the rules for its design, we will provide a sample of how to write a cover letter for a resume.

Before studying work experience and achievements, a potential employer analyzes the appeal received by him, so it must be written correctly. This document creates the first impression of the applicant. The chances of an applicant who has successfully compiled an accompaniment increase in comparison with other candidates.

Pros and reasons to apply

The presence of a letter well demonstrates the candidacy's compliance with the high requirements of business standards. Moreover, it is it (and not talking on the phone) that helps in achieving a number of goals, for example:

demonstration of literacy skills writing;
emphasis on motivation, which is important for employees who change their direction of activity;
providing information about those professional aspects and skills of an employee that are beneficial for the “sale” by the applicant to a potential employer;
an individual algorithm for finding a new job (a resume is formalized and standardized, a letter will help show interest in a particular vacancy);
an opportunity to show an example of interest in working in a particular organization.

How to apply and send

The letter is an additional document to the resume. As a rule, the text is sent at the same time as the summary. In this case, a number of formalities must be observed:

If the text version is drawn up on paper, it must be written on a separate sheet. The details of the document are placed according to the rules established for the design of business letters:
- compilation date (day, month and year);
- title;
- Name;
- recipient's location address.
If the resume and body of the letter are sent by email, the cover letter can be written in the body of the message, marking the subject of the event as “Resume for a job”.
The text can be sent before sending the resume, thereby preparing the ground, showing interest.
The document can be sent immediately after sending the resume, clarifying certain provisions, reminding yourself again.
The text can be sent after the interview procedure, which can help the employer make a decision in favor of the applicant.

What to write in a cover letter for a resume

There is no fixed form, but there are a number of general rules by which you can make it successful.

A good sample resume cover letter should have a strict structure:

introduction (greeting);
main part;
conclusion.

The greeting begins with the words “Dear (s) ...” or “Good afternoon”, followed by the name of the addressee. Remember that in the first case, you don’t need to write “with respect” at the end, but in the second, on the contrary, it is necessary.

The welcome address should be individual (if the addressee's name is known). If the name is unknown, the appeal should be formulated to the specialists of a particular unit.

The main part consists of subsections that cover the following areas:

specifying the position for which the candidate is applying;
clarification of the applicant's interest in a particular position (an interesting new product, various functions, ambitious tasks);
a description of the experience not mentioned in the experience, but useful for a particular vacancy, and the list of projects in which the applicant participated;
explanation of the motivation of the candidate applying for the position.

The conclusion contains the words of farewell, beginning with the phrase "Respectfully", as well as the contact details of the candidate.

The cover letter should be short but informative. Golden Rule- It should take no more than 10 seconds to read it.

The writing style is business. Humor and emotional component are acceptable only when addressing those companies for which it is a component of their activities.

If the accompaniment is sent by e-mail, it is made out in the "body" of the message.

Anastasia Novoselova, HR Director

Companies looking for employees request a cover letter in order to reduce the number of inappropriate resumes and consider only candidates who actually qualify for the job. Often in the job description, recruiters ask for certain information in the cover letter in order to immediately determine whether it makes sense to read the resume or not. Therefore, it is impossible to write in something that moves away from the goal. Accompanying should strengthen the summary and ensure that it is considered among dozens of others.

Here are typical mistakes that lead not to strengthening the resume, but to the opposite effect:

simple retelling of the resume;

information that conflicts with what is written in the resume;

inappropriate text style (“hello, great job, just for me” and similar phrases);

space-filling phrases like "good afternoon, please consider my resume" or simply "good afternoon";

phrases that speak only about the candidate's expectations "I'm applying for a salary of XXX rubles."

And the cover letter should not contain any confidential information and personal data of other people.

The main mistakes in compiling

An incorrectly composed text can not only reduce the overall impression of the applicant's candidacy, but also generally deprive him of his chances of employment.

The phrases “according to the standard” will reduce the value and information content to zero. They can also make it clear to the personnel officer that the letter is simply copied to send to various vacancies, therefore, individual interest in a particular position is not so strong.

It is not necessary to state in other words the information contained in the applicant's resume. The recruiter values his time and does not intend to waste it re-examining information. An exception here can be made only for contact information. It is better to repeat it.

This style in business correspondence is unacceptable. Humor that is not appropriate for the culture of a particular organization will also not create a favorable impression. Informal address, use of jargon, punctuation marks not established by the rules, emoticons are taboo.

The words general. Do not use words and expressions of a general nature that do not carry a clear thought. So, instead of "Experienced worker" use the phrase "I have been in the field for more than 10 years."

Spelling and punctuation errors are unacceptable for an employee applying for a vacancy. An illiterate letter will immediately repel a potential employer.

Thus, an example of a successful cover letter is a document with features such as:

clear strict structure;
brevity and at the same time meaningfulness;
design in business style;
lack of language errors of various kinds.

Sample cover letter for resume (example hh.ru)

We offer to study on the site an example that meets the current requirements to the required extent.

Ask questions, and we will supplement the article with answers and explanations!

Good day, dear friend!

Work experience is an important criterion for evaluating a candidate, but not the only one. If you do not have, you should focus on something else. Reasonable, right? How to compose cover letter for resume with no work experience?

It is reasonable to follow a similar tactic if your work experience is not so impressive or even “zigzag”. Do you have, in addition to experience?

At worst, your advantage may be ... the cover letter itself. Rather, its form and content.

This is what we'll do today.

In order for your letter not to be in transit to the trash, I strongly advise you to pay attention to:

email subject
name of your email address

What should be written in the subject of the letter, we discussed in a separate

Address. your mail . E is the first thing the recipient sees.

For example like this: from: [email protected] Email subject: summary. Like?

And so: from [email protected] Subject: Paranichev V.V. resume for HR director.

I guess it's not hard to guess which letter will be opened.

It is permissible to write your first and last name in the name of the mail. For example: [email protected] Simple and tasteful.

Letter - boomerang

Our program is the minimum: write a letter so that a person reads it and opens ours. Maximum - dialed our phone number and invited to a meeting.

To do this, we will follow the following rules:

we structure the letter in a certain logic
use correct speech constructions

Writing logic

Let's make up full version letters when you write by email. At the end of the article - how to write through a work site.

A typical mistake of applicants is to write a continuous unstructured text. At the sight of such a monotonous “sheet”, the desire to read disappears completely.

The letter should be structured and sustained in a certain logic.

Remember, how much you already take care of the convenience of the person who opened your letter, so much will you form the first impression of yourself.

The structure of the letter consists of the following blocks:

Greetings
Please indicate the position you are applying for
What interested you, how did you hear about it?
Offer to consider your candidacy and give reasons for this
Explain how you can be useful to the company
Call to action

Sample text

(1) Hello Anna!

My name is Andrey Semenov.

(2) This is a position in the customer service department. The vacancy is posted on your company website.

(3) This work is interesting for me because it corresponds to my plans professional development as a customer service specialist.

(4) Please consider my candidacy.

In 2016 I graduated from the university “...................................... .” by specialty “...................................................... ....”. Average score - ......

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the assessment in the subject “Organization of work with clients” is excellent.

I did an internship at Strela. The content of the practice just meets the requirements of the vacancy. This is reflected in the summary.

Participated in the conference "Customer Management" in February 2016 and delivered a report that aroused interest in the professional community.

(5) I liked your company's website, philosophy, values. I read the CEO's interview, watched the video content.

Anna, I would really like to participate in the projects of your company. Develop in a team of professionals. I would like to become one of the the best specialists. I believe that I will quickly enter the course of work and will contribute to the common cause. I am learning very fast.

I have attached my resume to the letter.

(6) Anna, with your permission, I will ask a question:

Is it possible to schedule a meeting next week?

I am waiting for your call with the appointment of the date of the meeting. My phone number is below.

Anna, if it's more convenient for you to call me, I'll dial your number on Thursday afternoon.

Do you agree?

Sincerely, Andrey Semenov, t. +7 (921) xxx-xxx-xxx

The numbers enclosed in brackets do not need to be included in the text of the letter, of course. These are the block numbers that we have planned a little higher.

Speech constructions

You may have noticed that the letter contains speech patterns that support attention and create a single logical chain.

a) Name

The name is used several times in the text. It is important. The name is a very simple and effective technique for .

If you do not know the name, it is highly desirable to find out. An unaddressed letter has almost no chance.

c) It's about...

What vacancy are you talking about. A recruiter can work with dozens of vacancies.

d) I would like to draw your attention to ...

You say that you have good grades in the subject and you have had an internship. This may well compensate for the lack of work experience.

e)I would like to develop in a team of professionals .

A small compliment to the company. It certainly won't be redundant.

g) with your permission, I will ask a question ...

The question itself and everything that follows it is a call to action.

Do you want to meet. And talk about it openly. But correct and unobtrusive.

h) Do you agree?

What would you think if you were a recruiter?

"Why not? Experience is a gain. There is a desire to work, there is logic, he writes correctly, there are already some successes in his studies. This is certainly no worse than an experienced "specialist" with a sour face and bad habits of a typical "hard worker".

How to write on a job site

On a work site, there is usually a separate field for the accompanying text. It is clear that it is not entirely appropriate to write that “you were recommended ...” and how did you find out about the vacancy, since you are answering on the site. Usually you don't know the name. It would be great if you figure it out:

Call the corporate number and ask to be connected to the HR department. There, ask who leads the vacancy you are interested in. They will not always say, but the attempt is not torture.
Another option: Find any phone of this company. Call and ask: “Is this the personnel department?” They answer you "No". You "wildly apologize" and ask for the telephone number of the personnel department. Along the way, find out the name of the person you need.

If not, you will have to send a "faceless" letter. But it is reasonable to take the boomerang letter scheme as a basis.

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Typically, cover letters are required for applicants applying for mid-level or high-level management positions, and a cover letter for a resume is also required for employment in foreign company. Therefore, those who apply for this kind of position need to know how to write a cover letter to the employer.

Of course, we can not do without examples. If you are too lazy to read the article in full, we suggest that you make your letters according to the model. Here are my small sketches of accompanying notes for your resumes, you are welcome:

Example of a short cover letter

"Good afternoon! (If you know who this letter was sent to, then you should contact by name and patronymic) I was interested in your vacancy, which I found. I have the following qualities (Here you need to indicate all the qualities that you possess, on our website in the resume article there is the most suitable set of qualities -). I am very grateful for the time given to me. My contacts (indicate the necessary contacts)»

Example of a cover letter for a resume for a lawyer

"Hello! Interested in a job posted by your company on hh.ru. My experience as a lawyer is over 10 years. I would like to offer you my experience as a lawyer. I graduated from the university (specify the university) with a red diploma and immediately began to work according to my position, I am well versed in jurisprudence and civil law. Worked in companies (specify companies). Good arbitrage practice, drafted statements of claim, statements to the court, attorney's requests. I am good at office software and computers. Among personal qualities I single out - the desire to delve into the essence of the problem, perseverance.

I would be grateful for an invitation for an interview."

Manager resume cover letter example

“Dear Pyotr Vasilyevich! I carefully studied the vacancy of your company on the hh.ru website for the position of manager, I am sure that I fully meet the requirements for this position. Graduated from the university in the specialty (specify specialty). Worked as a manager for 12 years, has a great skill in managing people, good management there, maintaining a large database of clients, was engaged in consulting large enterprises on management. Proficient in office software.

I appreciate your consideration of my CV, I look forward to further cooperation. Ready to come for an interview at any time.

Sample cover letter for an accountant resume

"Hello! I have read your resume for an accountant position. I am sure that my qualifications will suit you completely. I have a professional higher education majoring in Accounting. Work experience 15 years. Extensive experience in the program "1s Accounting", there is experience in maintaining primary documentation. Bookkeeping is strictly legal. More details can be found in my resume. Sincerely, Galina Petrovna. I look forward to further cooperation. "

In Western countries, where the labor market is well developed, applicants always send a resume to the employer with a cover letter. The Russian labor market is still underdeveloped, hence the different attitudes towards cover letters in different companies.

Until recently, Russian job seekers brought their resume to the employer in paper form only. When HR managers received a whole stack of such resumes, they had to review each candidate, and this took a lot of time, so there was no talk of cover letters as additional paper documents.

But nowadays there has been a wide development of computer technology, and applicants mainly respond to a vacancy posted by an employer in in electronic format. Therefore, a cover letter for a resume, consisting of 2 paragraphs, will not be a problem for recruiters.

The concept of "cover letter"

The resume usually reflects information about the education, work experience, professional skills of the person looking for a job.

Transmittal letter- this is additional information about the applicant, which he adds to the resume when responding to a vacancy offered by the employer. Sometimes employers read the cover letter first, and then look at the resume.

Often, applicants do not attach importance to the cover letter and consider it superfluous, because all the basic data is indicated in the resume. But this is completely wrong, because of this approach, a person may not get the desired position.

Often, hiring managers, after reading a poorly written cover letter, don't even read the candidate's resume. Some workers personnel services generally do not consider a resume without supporting information.

Job Seeker Benefits of a Cover Letter

If a person, job seeker, will accompany his resume with additional information, this indicates that he is familiar with the business standards adopted in companies. There are also the following benefits for the applicant from a cover letter:

A resume usually has a standard structure, and almost all resumes differ little from each other, and the accompanying information can show that the applicant is fluent in writing and builds sentences correctly.
In the accompanying information, you can emphasize motivation, That is important point for applicants who have little experience in their chosen field of activity.
A candidate for a vacancy in a cover letter can talk about his strengths, special skills that may suit this particular company, there is such a column in the resume, then everything goes on the list, without emphasizing anything.
The applicant can write something individual in the accompanying information, which cannot be done in a regular standard resume.
In the accompanying information, you can show that you already know something about this company, write that you want to work in this particular company.

Important! Any company will hire, first of all, a person who is interested in its development and promotion, and not just a highly qualified specialist. We can just prove that you are the right employee who will help the development and growth of the company in a cover letter to your resume.

How to write a cover letter for a resume

Many do not know exactly what to write in a cover letter for a resume. Often, recruiters come across the following information accompanied by a resume of a potential candidate:

repeat texts that are posted on the Internet;
they write that they are very delighted with the employer's firm;
praise themselves without providing evidence;
just write general phrases.

In a cover letter personnel managers To hire you, you must see the answers to the following questions:

Information about the writer who is writing accompanying information.
Write about your benefits in this company, explain more precisely why the company needs you.
clarify, Why do you need this company.

Cover letter structure

A cover letter is a document, and therefore it must meet certain requirements accepted in a business letter.

Greetings. The letter must begin with a greeting, address by name and patronymic to the company employee responsible for recruiting. You can write "Dear" or "Dear" first. If you are employed by a foreign company, then the name of the employee. You can start with a greeting "Good afternoon" or "Hello."
Main part. Here you need to write about how you learned about this vacancy, about the position you are counting on, write why you are interested in this vacancy. Write that you wanted to learn how to solve new problems, you are interested in the product manufactured by the company, etc. Write about the experience you already have that can help the development of the company and which is not mentioned in the resume. Also in this part, you can explain any details from the resume that are not in your favor, for example, a break from work.
Conclusion. In this part, you should thank for the attention and time spent on reading your letter, and write that you are ready to meet with the HR manager and discuss all issues in more detail.
Parting. Be sure to write “With respect” or “Best regards” (for managers of a foreign company) at the end.
Please include your contact details at the end.

Basic requirements for a cover letter

Typically HR managers knowing the rules writing a cover letter will be assessed if the accompanying information is written according to the following rules:

The letter must be concise, take up no more than half the page of an A4 sheet so that it can be read quickly;
The letter must be capacious, do not contain excess water, applicants do not like this;
The letter must be written business style, it should not contain long subordinate clauses, it should not contain formalities, it should be written without unnecessary emotionality;
It is necessary to show personal approach to writing a letter, it should be written like a conversation with a personnel manager;
The letter must be unique, it is necessary not to repeat the template letters available on the Internet;
The letter must be relevant, you should not write in it information that your employer does not need;
The letter must be specific, you can reflect in it your specific achievements, give reliable numbers that can increase your chances of getting this job;
The letter may indicate recommendations which can increase your chances.

Cover letter mistakes

Often in additional information to the resume, personnel managers identify the following shortcomings:

The use of conventional templates letters, all phrases of the letter are written "like a carbon copy";
Just in a cover letter duplicated information taken from the resume, this should not be done, only contact details can be repeated;
The letter says common phrases if you write that you are an experienced specialist, then specify the information and write that you have work experience, for example, five years in this field, etc.;
Spelling and punctuation errors are also unacceptable in a cover letter, the employer is unlikely to want to hire such an illiterate employee.

What not to include in a cover letter for a resume:

Wording to be avoided	Correct writing
We hope to see you next	We look forward to further cooperation
We greet you	Dear Petr Ivanovich
In response to your unreasonable demand	Response to the request dated May 15, 2018 No. CA45663 02
I think your assessment was very illiterate	We send a response letter with confirmation of quality
Your employees are incompetent	Please reconsider our meeting

Sending a cover letter

The supporting information is usually sent to the employer along with the resume. Common formalities for sending cover letters include:

If you send a letter in printed form, then issue it on a separate sheet;
If you are sending a letter electronically, then write it in the body of the electronic document.

Some tips for when to submit your cover letter:

You can send a cover letter even before sending a resume, so you can interest the employer, attract his attention;
You can send a letter after sending a resume, thus reminding you of yourself;
It is possible to send a cover letter after an interview with an employer, if you have an equal chance with another candidate, then it may increase your chance of getting this job.

Outcome: if you complied with all the rules and sent a cover letter to the employer, then this is not yet a guarantee that you will definitely receive this position but it greatly increases your chances of success.

Modern employers are increasingly demanding from the applicant a cover letter to the resume, usually containing 2-3 paragraphs. In this material, we will analyze in detail how to draw up such a document.

You will learn:

Do I need to write a cover letter for my resume?
What are the benefits of a good resume cover letter?
How to write and send a cover letter for a resume.
How to write a cover letter for a resume in English.
What not to include in a cover letter for a resume.
How does a resume cover letter affect HR decisions?

What information does a resume cover letter contain?

Documentary support of a resume or a response to a vacancy refers to additional information and are submitted by a potential candidate for a position in addition to the standard documentation of his education and work experience, present in the resume. Most often, the employer looks through such information even before they get acquainted with the resume.

First of all, a short cover letter to the resume is a useful addition that corrects the image of the applicant. Its purpose is to present your skills and emphasize that it is you who will benefit the company as an employee.

Downloads:

However, in practice, most applicants do not use the chance to win over the employer. Sometimes people are so doubtful of their abilities that they cannot profitably present personal advantages, fearing to appear as a braggart or a deceiver. At the same time, about a third of Russians successfully practice this opportunity, hoping that a little support to the resume will increase their chances of achieving their goal. By the way, they are doing the right thing. Their judgment is fully justified, which is confirmed by the results of surveys of both novice recruiters and skilled headhunters.

First of all, HR specialists choose the most meaningful resumes, where you can get the necessary information before meeting with the respondent. This allows them to pre-filter out inappropriate individuals to save valuable interview time.

From the general mass of applicants, personnel officers single out those who can present themselves. It is believed that people who know how to present their professionalism, who are able to win over and convince others, can present the company on the market with honor. In addition, out of several thousand (over 600) interviewed personnel officers, they admitted that they do not consider resumes without a cover letter at all.

What are the benefits of a good resume cover letter?

In addition to meeting the high standards of business that the applicant adheres to, reinforcing his own resume with an accompanying message, it will be useful to him to achieve several significant goals, such as:

demonstration of writing skills (the template structure of the resume does not allow, so to speak, to show off with eloquence and the construction of beautiful phrases);
emphasis on motivation (which is important for individuals who change their field of activity or are not very experienced in their chosen niche);
presentation of their advantages, especially useful for this organization (in the summary, information about this is contained in common block together with skills and experience);
individualization of the attitude to the job search (the standard form of the resume will allow you to send it unchanged to each company, but the text of the cover letter to the resume will confirm your interest only in the right organization);
manifestation of your interest in the company, search for information about it and the attractiveness of the data obtained.

No matter how perfect your resume is, the company is interested in a loyal and highly motivated employee who will work for the benefit of its advancement, as opposed to a simple specialist with qualifications. It is this fact that will emphasize the cover letter.

How to write a resume and create a positive image with the employer

How does a resume cover letter affect HR decisions?

The domestic company HeadHunter, which specializes in online recruitment, during a survey of employers found that 36% of them agree to culling an applicant's resume if his cover letter is not formatted correctly.

There has been a persistent trend when only 20-40% of resumes with an attached cover letter are submitted to employees of the HR department. A quarter of the interviewed recruiters engaged in the selection of staff confirmed that resumes with an introductory message are quite rare. Cover letters are the most important for top positions: approximately 17% of enterprises do not get acquainted with the documents of applicants for the position of a top manager at all in the absence of the necessary file. However, for most other vacancies, HR managers consider a cover letter to be an added advantage.

Employers are interested in the reasons for choosing a company and the degree of motivation of a candidate to work in this particular vacant position(80%). More than half hope that the applicant's cover letter contains a clear statement of its usefulness to the organization (53%). Over 60% of personnel officers agreed that the optimal cover letter should consist of 3-5 phrases.

The majority of executives believe that the most appropriate style for a cover letter is business. At the same time, 15% of HR managers allow the use of a conversational manner of presentation, and 17% of this audience do not consider style to be an important factor at all. Approximately 29% of employers welcome the emotional turns of speech and emoticons included by applicants in the texts of cover letters. Among the shortcomings noted by many recruiters are: grammatical errors (56%), formulaic phrases (53%), incompetence in styles business letter+ manifestation of familiarity (49%), verbosity (38%) and fuzzy formulation of thoughts (35%). Almost all HR professionals (91%) say that an illiterate cover letter for a resume is unacceptable.

Find out from the resume of the manager who will "blow up" the company's sales

How to recognize candidates from resumes who will bring profit to the company? Use a method that allows you to recognize the character and qualities of a person from a short description, which was described by the editors of the Commercial Director magazine.

Expert opinion

Andrey Kolesnikov,

CEO PowerLexis, St. Petersburg

To interest the employer, you need to compliment him

To receive a call for an interview and for its successful completion, the applicant needs to win the favor of the interlocutor. And the most effective way to do this is a nice compliment. However, it needs to be thought over, made targeted, not standard. The employer you are applying for should make sure that you are familiar with the direction of his company, see interesting prospects here and are going to defend your personal opinion. The recipient of your letter will easily distinguish real enthusiasm from a string of on-duty phrases, and therefore will undoubtedly be friendly to you.

Once we received a cover letter for a resume, where the applicant clearly wanted to win our favor. Here is what was written there:

"Dear Sirs! In the activities of your company, indisputable respect causes responsibility to customers, high quality products and degree of decision making. I will be very happy to work in your team to increase the overall profit.” This person was not even invited for an interview, since his appeal could well be addressed to any other company. Obviously, he sent this template to everyone. PowerLexis, by the way, does not produce goods at all, but provides services.

And here is an example of a letter confirming that the author has studied the history of the company well: “... I am interested in this vacancy because of the narrow specialization of the company. I am convinced that now, in times of fierce competition, this is the most The best way gaining high market positions…”. We immediately identified this message and invited the applicant for an interview. Conclusion: if you do not understand anything about compliments, do not try to use them.

How to write a cover letter for a resume

When writing a cover letter for your resume, follow these guidelines:

the maximum conciseness of the business style, “spreading the thought along the tree” is inappropriate here (the optimal reading time is no more than 10 minutes, the volume of the letter should fit in A5 format);
capacity: the information contained in the letter should be the most important for the employer, since the “water”, which increases the volume, reduces the “points” of the candidate;
style: business information wrapped in business style with a clear structure and understandable constructions, not clogged with subordinate parts of speech, with the exception of familiarity and excessive emotions (the latter are possible for organizations with a narrow direction, for example, creative ones, but they are rare on the market);
individual approach: a light, lively style of presentation should be woven into the rules of office work, you need to write as if you are conducting a dialogue with a recruiter;
uniqueness: do not forget that your message should stand out among other similar letters, while your uniqueness should not go beyond the company's conditions;
relevance: do not use unnecessary information that your potential employer does not need;
specificity: any information becomes significant and reliable due to numerical values (figures, terms, percentages, number of projects, etc.);
references: most likely, at the interview you will be asked to present them, but when you get ahead of the recruiter’s desire, your resume will become more powerful.

What to write in a cover letter for a resume

The appeal to the addressee is obligatory and must contain the name and patronymic of the personnel worker. Here you need to observe maximum courtesy and tact: “Good afternoon, Irina Petrovna! Please discuss my candidacy ... ".
A link to the original source of the vacancy announcement is a sign of good taste, so it is better to tell the employer where you saw information about hiring specialists (advertising board, newspaper, website). In some cases, you can personally indicate the intermediary: “Petrov A.I., a long-time partner of your company, told me about the announced vacancy…”. In addition, here you need to mention the name of the vacant position, adding that you performed similar work in another organization.
The main content of a cover letter for a resume. In this part, it is enough to indicate the range of personal professional interests, and then offer services to the employer. You can add your brief description without the use of widely used clichés. The best option would be to present your forte which will further benefit the common cause in your position.
Demonstration of the desire to work for the benefit of the company and grow professionally within its walls. This is an additional paragraph that can be inserted into the main content if necessary.
Indication of contact details and the promise of a quick response to an invitation for an interview. By entering a phone number in the cover letter to the resume, the applicant greatly simplifies the tasks of the HR specialist of the employing organization, because the personnel officer can immediately call him if the content of the message caused favorable emotions in the management.
Gratitude. A high-quality application to the resume should end with one of the phrases: “Thank you for your attention (or time)”, “Thanks in advance for phone call" and others.

You need to think about what the addressee wants to see, accompanied by a resume, in order to write this particular phrase. If an existing job posting mentioned a lot of work experience, this should be emphasized. In some cases, employers want to see an employee with similar qualifications in a certain position without any exceptions. Therefore, listing other skills would be incorrect. This also applies to other requirements mentioned in job advertisements.

How to write and send a cover letter for a resume

According to standard rules The cover letter for your resume should be:

on a separate sheet of A5 format, if you send your resume on paper;
in electronic form, if the documents are sent to the e-mail address of the company;
the name and address of the recipient, his details, heading, date - everything must be drawn up according to the rules of office work for official letters.

As a rule, an accompanying sheet is attached to the resume, which confirms its title. In this case, it is necessary to follow the generally accepted formalities, namely:

when sent in printed form, the accompanying letter is drawn up on a separate piece of paper or a special form;
at electronic form when sending, the accompanying text is entered in the message field, and the resume is attached as a separate file, while the subject of the message should be “Resume for the vacancy ...”.

There are other ways to present a cover letter to an employer:

before submitting a resume (thus, a “check” of the organization’s mail is carried out, the ground is being prepared, interest is maintained);
immediately after sending it (to clarify some details, an additional reminder of yourself, an invitation to an interview);
after the interview (often with the same chance of success, any additional action can sway the employer to your side, and this step can be a tactful and appropriate response to the vacancy).

How to write a cover letter for a resume with no work experience

It is not difficult for a person with extensive professional skills to interest a potential employer. And for young specialist with a brand new diploma from a university or an employee who is changing their line of work for the first time, this is not easy to do.

In order to motivate a recruiter to read your resume, it is important to “ignite” their curiosity by writing a quality resume cover letter, a sample of which should contain the following elements:

respectful greeting (if you know the name of the recipient of your message, make the greeting addressable);
the source where you found the vacancy (newspaper, online resource, person who recommended the vacancy);
a professional resource that you could offer to the company. If you have no work experience, you need to identify other advantages that distinguish you from competitors.

The benefits can be:

consent to a long probationary period;
willingness to learn and career growth in this profession;
consent to irregular time work and travel;
specialized education and additional training courses;
knowledge of foreign languages;
other skills related to the upcoming activity.
1. contact details (it is appropriate to once again leave your personal contacts not only in the resume, but also in the accompanying message).
2. farewell (short and polite).

How to write a cover letter for a resume in English

Today, finding a decent job with high salary is becoming an urgent and difficult problem in our society. The state of the labor market requires applicants not only to have developed skills in their specialty, sometimes employers make additional requirements. Among them, the most common is knowledge of foreign languages. Practice proves that employers give maximum preference to such people in employment.

Very often, when filling existing vacancies, management puts forward requirements for candidates to write and provide a cover letter, which translates from English as a “cover letter”. To find a profitable job, it is no longer enough to send a simple resume to an employer. It must be backed up with the specified addition.

Recall that the cover letter belongs to the category of business correspondence and is attached to the resume with the rest of the documents.

Introduction

In order to interest a potential employer in your letter, and as a result in your own candidacy, you should “hook” the employer from the first line, and more specifically, from the introduction. Therefore, we advise full responsibility approach the writing of this part of the message.

If you have mutual acquaintances with a potential employer, it is useful to mention this in order to inspire his favor and trust:

Recently I met Ann Brown, who I know from my childhood, from your main company and she recommended me to write to you my resume-letter. She knows about my talents in programming area and considers me a good candidate for a IT-specialist vacancy.

(The other day I met Ann Brown, a friend of mine from childhood, and now an employee of your company, who advised me to send my resume here. She is familiar with my success in programming and is sure that I can count on a position as a programmer in the company you head).

Concisely and clearly state your accomplishments in professional field, emphasizing the nuances that may be of interest to the employer. You need to write about those skills that will be useful in a potential position that the applicant wants to take.
You can start with the original question and then, in the process of writing a cover letter for a resume, gradually answer it, intriguing the employer to read the entire text.

How to arouse the interest of the employer with a question

The “catchy” question formulated at the beginning of the cover letter, in combination with its English version, can be formulated as follows:

Are you looking for an expert of the sales-market area who has sales records for a few different companies and a highly developed professional talents?

(Do you need a sales pro who has broken all the records in this field in a number of companies at the same time, who has the highest skill?)

In the introduction, you do not need to waste time on a detailed description of the search for this vacancy and its interesting aspects for the applicant. Just mention the name in the subject line of the email.

Main content

The second part of the cover letter explains why the candidate seeks to get into this particular organization in order to take the declared position. Without praising, you need to list the real advantages of this position and between the lines transparently hint at your professional talents as a potential employee. Additionally, it is not superfluous to show positive attitude to the company's products or to professionals who work in this service sector. All information must be true.

For an example of a cover letter in English, the following texts can be given:

“I would like to have a job in your company because…” or “I would like to get a position in your company because…”.
“While I worked in other firm, I always want to be a part of this company…” or “For all the time I worked in the previous company, I tried to get into yours..”.
“I am very interested in this vacancy, as…” or “I am very interested in this vacancy, as…”.
“I see that your company is in a process of development and that you`re planning to lauch a few new projects. Will I become a part of them?” or “I have noticed that your company is growing steadily and you are starting a number of new projects. Do I have a chance to take part in them?

This is followed by a description of the personal qualifications with a full indication of work experience and professional qualities, so that the employer sees in the candidate a future employee of his company, who brings her benefits, profits and is interested in its growth. The wider the list of performance characteristics of the applicant for a vacancy, the higher his chance to make a proper impression on the employer.

Description of character traits in a cover letter

How to add your positive features to the cover letter to the resume? An English example might look like this:

“Even in stressed situation I try to keep the balance” or “I am always balanced, even in a stressful situation.”
"I would be happy to have a chance to work with you" or "I would be happy to have a chance to work with you."

The accompanying message should motivate to action. It is necessary to write it in such a way that, upon reading it, the employer immediately understands that he is an experienced and responsible candidate, an employee striving to achieve results, capable of selflessly working for the common good of the company.

cover letter design

The key principle of compiling a real cover letter is a personally written text. It is strictly forbidden to copy or process someone else's version.

This type of letter should be in a generally accepted format and contain the following elements:

introduction (single paragraph no more than 500-600 characters without spaces);
listing the motives for applying to the company - several paragraphs in the form of a bulleted list explaining the reasons for the applicant's choice of this particular position (the text should not exceed 1,800 characters);
information about professional experience, supported by specific examples, with the possibility of attaching your own projects and works (approximately 3,200 characters);
the final part with the contact details of the applicant (about 400 characters).

When composing the text of a cover letter for a resume, you should adhere to the style of business correspondence. The use of specialized vocabulary in it, corresponding to the vacant position for which the candidate is fighting, dramatically increases his chances of arousing the interest of the employer and becoming an employee of the organization.

Mentioning recent company events and showing a genuine interest in its activities give the job seeker the opportunity to win the sympathy of the employer and encourage him to feedback. The most important thing is to do everything sincerely, otherwise the position will go to another applicant, and not to you.

Before sending a formal cover letter to an employer, be sure to reread the cover letter in English a couple of times, checking for grammatical errors. If desired, you can use the professional services of an interpreter.

Correct address to the addressee

At the very beginning of the accompanying message in English, there is an appeal to the addressee, which should begin with the words “Dear”, that is, “Dear (s)”.

If the letter is sent to a man, the turnover Mr is used, for a woman, respectively, Ms (without specifying marital status).

When the applicant is well acquainted with the employer, you can use the phrase Dear Mike, and if, on the contrary, you have never seen him, it is better to address him correctly by his last name - Dear Mr Berkley.

Expression of interest in the position

The level of interest in the vacancy is conveyed by the description of professional skills and experience. In this way, the candidate presents himself, that is, he first gets acquainted with the employer, describing his skills and business qualities.

Also, if you know anyone who works for this company, mention them. But, of course, with their consent. A cover letter for a resume comes in a variety of formats. Let's give an example in English to describe your own parameters in a cover letter:

“With my management skills and understanding of your business, I can immediately begin to work in this position…” or “With my leadership skills and orientation in the direction of your company, I am ready to immediately begin my duties.”

Hint that you are very hopeful for an answer by using this phrase: "I look forward to hear from you."

How to present your competence

Thank you for your attention. I "m waiting for a possibility to talk to you why I could to work in that vacancy. Please contact me ..." or "Thank you for your attention. I hope to have the opportunity to talk to you personally and explain why I am suitable for this position. from you a call or an answer by e-mail…”.

How to end a cover letter

As a rule, at the end of the message there is a short wish and the name of the author. Focus on the example of the English version of the final part, which can be formulated as follows: "Best regards, Elena ..." or "All the best, Elena."

Spell check

Mistakes in the text can give the manager an unfavorable impression of the future employee and discourage them from continuing to read. Therefore, it is worth once again checking the grammar of the text using special programs. It is necessary to check the correct placement of words in sentences: in Russian, phrases can begin with the use of any words, while English provides special rules, which determine the order in which sentences are constructed.

Spell checking is required if you write a cover letter for your resume on your own and without a translator. When writing text, do not rush. It is better to comprehend each sentence several times, because the correctness, conciseness and literacy of the message will affect the opinion about the author and the possibility of his employment in the chosen organization.

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What Not to Write in a Cover Letter for a Resume

1. Don't flaunt your career ambitions

Try not to use expressions like “I want to work in a place where I can realize my skills and advance in career ladder". Such a pompous statement is more likely to scare the employer than delight him. In addition, a preparatory familiarity with the work of companies will allow you to deal only with those who are trying to advance their employees professionally. So don't waste the recipient's time insisting on privileges before you've proven your ability.

2. Don't talk about salary

This should not be done even when the employer asks you to indicate your previous salary in one of the ad items. Why? Employers need this data to filter out applicants who are either very expensive or not very experienced, which prevented them from getting more money. Information about previous income will only reduce your chances of success. What to do? End your resume cover letter with the magic phrase, which eliminates further questions: "My salary was negotiable."

3. Don't state why you left your previous job

Sometimes people feel the need to explain what kept them so long (or so short) in previous positions. This is not worth doing. It's best to prepare answers to all sorts of questions about your work experience in advance and save them in case of an interview during an appointment. Do not include facts in the cover letter that are likely to cause the employer to be wary.

Typical mistakes of every second resume cover letter

Let's name the most common shortcomings that can spoil the impression and even “cut off” all chances for success when discussing a resume.

Mistake 1.Stereotyping

Template, hackneyed phrases written "under carbon paper" have a detrimental effect on the content of your letter. If, upon reading, the employer decides that you are churning them out for mailing to various organizations, then your candidacy will most likely be ignored.

Error 2.Violation of business style

Of course, originality is good, but not in this case. In business correspondence, humor is also inappropriate if he does not answer. corporate culture employer firm. Informal and offhand appeals can be harmful to the author. Do not use jargon, emoticons, hazing, punctuation, etc.

Mistake 3.Common phrases

Try to exclude such convenient, but meaningless expressions, such as “I am a qualified (responsible, stress-resistant) worker”, “I am a fast learner”, etc.

All epithets must be supported by facts, arguments, figures. For example, you should not write “I am a knowledgeable specialist”, you should say “I have devoted more than ten years to this field.”

Information about experts

Andrey Kolesnikov, General Director of PowerLexis, St. Petersburg. powerlexis- consulting company, specializes in the development of technologies to win the audience through "live" business presentations. PowerLexis offers clients the development of concepts for presentations of products, services, projects, companies; development of corporate style and presentation design standard; consultations and analysis of presentations. Clients: Microsoft, Uniastrum Bank, OJSC Baltika, Baltic Customs Agency, Informtechnika group of companies, Beltel, Spetstrust No. 2 group of companies, etc.

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