A cover letter aims at convincing your prospective employer that you are suitable for the available position.
Purpose of a cover letter
In order to answer why an employer should hire you, try to demonstrate:
- Why your goals are aligned with the company’s ones.
e.g. "As a "green" consumer, I am totally aligned with your goals and policies." - Why you derive satisfaction from the specific role.
e.g. "I regard it as a great opportunity to develop my strengths." - How you fit to the culture of the company.
e.g. "Working for an international company is ideal for me since..." - How you can contribute to the company’s targets.
e.g. "I truly believe I can add to the overall company growth by expanding the existing market share."
A cover letter should:
- Reveal experiences and aspects of your personality that you cannot communicate through your CV.
e.g. "Website development is more than a hobby for me as..." - Express motivation for the job you apply for.
e.g. "Working for a market leader is important for me because..." - Link your skills and qualifications with the job requirements.
e.g. "This position requires open-mined people and my background clearly reveals that..." - Present yourself as someone willing to take responsibilities / initiatives.
e.g. "… and I look forward to participating in new projects."
Numerous sample motivation / cover letters can be found here.
