General ideas

I like to write my cover letter with a similar perception to when I write any paper. I view it like an hourglass; I start off broadly, narrow it down in the middle, and end broad again. This means that I try to introduce myself as a person, intentionally not relating it to the job application at all to keep it interesting and human. On the contrary, in the middle sections, I try to be concrete in why I really want the specific job in question what relevenant skills and experiences I have to convince the employer I will manage the job well. Finally, I summarize the letter by broadening out again, talking about what my plans for the future are and how the job I am applying for fits into that.

Contact

I usually put the contact info right on top to make it accessible and really noticeable to the reader.

Name:

Phone:

Mail:

ID:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

I start with an introduction about myself. This is about giving off a good first impression, which is not to be underestimated. I try to give illustrative examples of my favourite activities to do in life. Writing less formally, I can invoke a positive picture of myself as a person, perhaps by mentioning a really cool experience I have had.

Paragraph 2: Why I want the job

Next, I write a paragraph about why I am applying for this specific job. I try to be explicitly concrete and detailed, following the hourglass structure. I try to find sentences from the job announcement I can connect myself to, for instance by saying that ‘I have long desired a job where I get to do x, y, and z,, making me really excited when I say your job announcement’. I think one of the most important attributes to convince the employer about is that I will be passionate and dedicated when working for their organization. One way to accomplish that is to emphasize that this job is the perfect match for you.

Paragraph 3: Why I should get the job

In the third paragraph, I list concrete examples of experiences and knowledge I have that would directly help my performance at the job I am applying for. Perhaps I had a class in university where I learned a theory that is applicable to the job. Explaining specific examples in detail portrays me as a passionate and knowledgeable candidate.

Paragraph 4: Conclusion

It is important to focus on the final segment of the letter, as that is what the reader most likely remembers. Here I mention that I have an open future where I would be available to work a certain amount of hours any day of the week. I conclude by adding a summarizing sentence about why this job opportunity is important to me the most important thing I would contribute to the organization if they chose to hire me.