Cover letter: what it is, how to write it and examples

Applying for a job role takes time and attention to detail: it is not only important to write your resume to the best of your ability by collecting the most relevant educational and work experience, but it is also essential to know how to present yourself.

Often, one of the greatest difficulties for candidates is just talking about themselves, their aspirations and abilities. This is why the cover letter is an element that, starting in the Anglo-Saxon world, is gaining ground in Italy as well, coming to make all the difference for recruiters.

Job cover letter, what is it

Considered fundamental in the British- and American-style job market, the cover letter is increasingly requested by Italian recruiters as well, as it offers the candidate an opportunity to present himself beyond his merely educational and professional experiences.

In fact, the cover letter was created to accompany the job seeker’s resume, and it allows job seekers to introduce themselves by explaining what they are looking for, what their professional aspirations are, their motivations, and how they could be useful to the company.

How to write a cover letter? To be effective, the letter must be concise and essential and contain no spelling or grammatical errors. To the recruiter who reads it, it must communicate the candidate’s interest in the chosen job position. He must then convince him that he is looking at the right person for the vacant role, and for the company as a whole.

Therefore, the cover letter is a great opportunity to show yourself and stand out clearly from the other candidates.

Cover letter, how to write it

Because of its strategic importance, the cover letter must be written and edited down to the smallest detail. Therefore, before drafting it, it is a good idea to invest time in studying the company to which you wish to apply. It can be useful to study what the company is about, what vision and mission guide the work, and the values on which the corporate culture is based. Finally, social networks can be very useful in understanding the company’s communication choice and the style in which it interacts with people.

When it comes to cover letters, it is often recommended to download pre-prepared templates in which to change only a few details, but the best strategy is to understand the structure of the text and customize it to the company you are addressing. In general, what matters most in the cover letter is the ability to introduce oneself, talking about one’s professional aspirations, the reasons for responding to the job offer and choosing that specific company.

It is clear from the most effective examples of a cover letter that such a document must:

• Show the candidate’s interest in the company, the way it works and what it produces;
• Highlight the motivations that led the candidate to want that specific job position;
• emphasize how the candidate with his or her Hard Skill and Soft Skill can be an added value to the company;
• Highlight the candidate’s personal qualities that distinguish him or her from others;
• be comprehensive and clear, but stimulate the recruiter’s curiosity;
• be neat in form and spelling, as well as free of errors.

It may happen that you have to write a cover letter when you have no previous work experience or are a recent graduate. In this case, it is useful to emphasize soft skills and one’s personal qualities, any extra-work experience, one’s course of study and its impact, and also the knowledge one may have in the economic sector in which the company operates.

Sample cover letter

While focusing on customizing the cover letter, a useful outline can be established to organize the content. The first step is to write your details and contact information at the top, the date of the letter and who you are addressing, with formulas such as:

“Dear Dr. Marco Rossi” or “To the kind attention of”

The opening paragraph should attract attention: after greeting the recruiter in a professional and formal manner, it is good to provide the most important information. You must therefore indicate the role for which you are applying, with a formula such as:

“I would like to submit for your kind attention my application in response to the search for a profile ……………………… (ref: … ) posted on your company website.”

In the middle paragraphs you need to dwell on your presentation, describing your strengths, such as Hard and Soft Skills, linking them to the requirements in the ad. Particularly relevant is the description of the motivations for applying to the company and what added value one’s hiring can bring. This can be done by highlighting achievements during previous work experiences, the responsibilities one had to manage, and how the Skill possessed enabled one to do this to the best of one’s ability. The concluding paragraph may end the letter with a sentence recalling the possibility of an interview in the concrete, with formulas such as:

“I hope to be able to meet with you as soon as possible for…” or “Making myself available to you for an interview in your offices….”

And there can be no lack of thanks and greetings at the end of the letter, accompanied by one’s signature.