How To Write A Cover Letter

Occasionally I receive questions from my readers regarding writing a cover letter, these questions stood out and I think they could help others too. So I have posted the questions along with the answers below!

When writing a cover letter do I need to specify my age?

No you do not need to specify your age in a cover letter, in fact you do not even ned to put it in your resume, it is actually good practise not to.

By law an employer cannot not hire you because of your age, so there is no need for them to know.

I’m trying to write a cover letter but I can’t make it sound good can I use a template?

Of course you can use a template, you can find some right here on this site, it can take a lot of the stress away from having to create one from scratch. Though there are a few general rules which you should follow:

1. Try to change as much as you can, the more unique content you add about yourself the better. If you just include your name where it says to and the employer has seen that template it before you will seem very lazy.
2. Cut it down a bit, the ‘Short But Sweet’ cover letters tend to convert into successful interviews more then the long ones, keep this in mind when writing or editing a template.
3. Try not to repeat what you say in your resume, a lot of the templates will talk about qualifications and work experience. There is no need to have this in your cover letter if it is already in your resume.

What are the three worst things you have seen in a cover letter?

1. One of the worst cover letters an employer can see is one that is just a copied template with nothing new added, they are so easy to spot.
2. I once saw a cover letter that was nearly 900 words long, this is to much! I didn’t even read to the end, it was so boring I could have fell asleep.
3. Believe it or not, there have been several occasions where people do not submit a covering letter. This is a BIG mistake and should not happen, the covering letter is supposed to be the first thing an employer has read about you, and they expect it.

I have also seen people include their covering letter on the same piece of paper as their Resume, this is a big no no keep it separate!

Is it ok to submit the same cover letter to multiple employers?

Yes this is perfectly acceptable, but in some cases you may be better off altering it depending on what type of jobs you are applying for.

How long should my cover letter be?

I would say keep it around the 300 word mark, maybe a bit less. If you have a lot to say though do NOT exceed 500 words!

They are all the questions I have received so far, however I very much like receiving your questions! If you have any questions you want answered please contact me via the link in the footer of this site!

The time you invested in your education and the skills you possess are valuable and you deserve to get paid your worth. Unlike working for an employer, becoming an entrepreneur breaks through barriers and allows you to maximize your earning potential.

As the managerial director, you’ll choose the projects, the clients and the limitations of your duties. Working for yourself is more than owning a business, it’s about using your passions to help meet the needs of others while earning a living.

Start a business and you’ll see a difference the next time you file taxes. On the federal level, the government allows businesses to claim credits not available to ordinary filers. Credits such as ordinary losses reduce the amount of your taxable income because you sold your ordinary goods or services at a loss. To help with day to day expenses, certain items such as the business’s automobile, advertising cost, utilities and office supplies are deducted as current business expenses.

Owning a business allows you to provide a steady financial foundation for your family. Because you are in charge of making the important business decisions, the uncertain economy, high unemployment rates and increased cost of living will have the minimal effect on your family. As managerial director you have the authority to alter your business’s direction to meet the needs of your family and business. Start a business and leave behind a family legacy. They will always have a source of income because of the valuable skills running a business has taught them.

Becoming a business owner gives job security. Company downsizing and job outsourcing is not a concern. As business owner, you have the ability to help stimulate the economy by providing jobs to others. Since you decide on the day to day activities, you decide the amount of pressure you are willing to work under. To help with the start-up processes and costs, there are tools and resources to guide every step. Combined with determination, you’ll be successful.

Everyone has career goals, and starting a business gives you a sense of accomplishing those goals. Since you are not restricted by an employer, your business does not have a limit on its profitability. With careful planning and strategic budgeting your business will have the ability to create multiple streams of income including passive income.

This will provide financial security even as you go into retirement. Business-oriented and career-minded, you’ll be able to pass valuable employable skills to your children. Using those skills they will be employable regardless of the economy changes.

Business owners have the most flexibility when it comes to family time. Since you don’t have to answer to a boss, you’ll never have to stress about getting time off work to make an important family event. Certain businesses such as internet-based businesses can be run from anywhere at any time. It also gives your business a visual image and a global presence. Using automated services, the business will make money for you even while you are not at work.

Writing a cover letter can take a lot of time, it can get boring and it can be stressful.

When writing a cover letter one of the most important things you must keep in mind is that you should not be boring the employer before they have even read your resume.

Keep your cover letter to the point, keep it like a sales pitch after all you are selling yourself to the employer. This is easier said then done, I have been sat in my chair stumped plenty of times, its hard to talk about yourself.

One thing that can really help you write your cover letter is getting outside help, ask a close friend or family member what they would say if they were selling you to a potential buyer.

How you layout your cover letter is also very important it should be laid out like any other letter with your address and their address at the top. You should have a good intro message in your first paragraph something like:

” I am applying for the job role XX which I saw advertised in the local paper. I believe I am more then suited for the job, I have a great deal of passion for what I do and have had plenty of experience in this line of work”

You should try to keep your cover letter to the point and do not bulk it up with un related stuff just to make it longer, sometimes a simple cover letter straight to the point will work best.

You need to access what kind of company you are applying to work for, if it is a web company and your be marketing then putting things like your linked in recommendations and twitter following is a great idea and help you stick out from all the other applicants.

For cover letter examples visit the cover letter examples page!

If you are planning on writing a cover letter then the most important thing you will need is some self confidence. Without this you will probably miss out some great things you could have said about yourself which will mean the employer will not know some of your finer qualities you are not able to see.

When I was writing mine I never had any self confidence probably because I was jobless at the time which made me a bit depressed, I had been in work since I left school and then when I got made redundant it hurt me and made me feel worthless.

The first cover letter I wrote before I used the cover letter creator, I wrote with the help of some friends and my mother. I asked them to say three words which described me, I then used these words in my cover letter.

It is very hard to write about your self in such an upbeat way if you are lacking in self confidence, I know I have been there. So the fastest way out of it is by getting some help from family and friends.

You should also build up your self confidence for when you have a job interview, the last thing you would want to happen is in your cover letter you sound really upbeat and happy but then turn up lacking self confidence. And when you do attend a job interview wear smart clothes (obviously) but also wear something that makes you feel beautiful. If your a lady relax in the bath before you go and spend an extra hour pampering yourself also wear something that makes you feel sexy like some sexy underwear. Doing this should give you huge confidence boost!

Next time your lacking some self confidence try to remember that everyone has some great qualities and every one has their unique ways which makes them very special in todays society.