Business etiquette in the West requires job seekers to send their resume or CV along with a Cover Letter to employers. This tradition came to Russia recently, so the attitude towards such letters is ambiguous: some consider them necessary, while others are a waste of time. However, a well-written cover letter is a significant plus for the applicant.
Cover Letter, or cover letter, is a kind of presentation of an applicant for a vacancy, that is, a summary of basic information about yourself, the desire to work in the company and the advantages over other candidates. The main task of this document is to attract the attention and interest of a potential employer, so that he has not only a desire to read the resume, but also to communicate in person.
According to the established practice in Russia, applicants often send their resume by e-mail without any comments. In some cases, the shipment may contain a short accompanying note, for example: “Good afternoon! I am sending my resume. But it’s not enough to spark interest from a recruiter.
Although most employers consider a resume without a Cover Letter, the latter is highly encouraged. And if it is written competently, consistently, logically and contains important information about the applicant for the vacancy, this is a big step towards success in finding the desired job.
In addition, the cover letter helps in various cases when, according to the information provided in the resume, an incorrect opinion about the applicant may be formed: there were unsuccessful transitions in the career, the education does not correspond to the job profile, but there is a wealth of practical experience, etc. It is the Cover Letter that is designed to convince the employer that this applicant's resume should not be overlooked, which can bring a lot of benefits and is ideal for the position.
Writing a quality cover letter is easy, but there are a few requirements you need to adhere to. First of all, the text should contain an appeal to a specific person: HR manager, HR manager, etc. As a rule, contacts are indicated on recruiting portals or in advertisements in the media, although, if desired, the addressee can be found out by phone.
Next, you need to designate the position for which the applicant applies, and also indicate the source of information about the vacancy: a newspaper ad, a specialized job search site, recommendations from friends, etc. The next important point is a brief summary of information about yourself without details: last name, first name, education, work experience in the direction, achievements in the professional field.
Also, in the cover letter, you should note your interest in this particular enterprise and the proposed position, as well as personal and professional qualities that can be useful to the company. It is desirable to express readiness for a personal meeting and discussion of the prospects for cooperation. At the end, contact phone numbers and an email address must be indicated.
In general, Cover Letter requires formalization according to the rules of a business letter. Thoughts should be stated clearly and clearly, without the use of complex grammatical structures, so that the text is easy to read and perceived by the addressee. A well-written cover letter can be the key to success by making an author's resume stand out from the crowd. The job seeker's respect for business etiquette can play an important role for the employer and provide advantages over other applicants.
