What to Include in a Cover Letter | Writing Guidelines

A great way to supplement your job application is to include a cover letter. A well-structured cover letter can boost your chances of landing a job if you incorporate the right information. However, many still don’t know what should be included in a cover letter.  

A cover letter should include a brief summary of your working experience, relevant skills, capabilities, and qualifications by giving examples that validate the relevant information in your resume. It is an overview, and at the same time a supplementary document and completes your introduction as a candidate for a job position.

So, what does a cover letter look like? Keep reading to find out more! 

The very first thing that appears in  a cover letter is the header. The header includes important information that  allows recruiters to know who sent the letter at first sight.

If you plan to hand in a printed version or a separate file letter instead of using email, begin the letter using the normal letter writing format. 

These are the elements that you have to include in a cover letter. The information needed for the cover letter header can usually be found on the company’s website or on the job listing itself.

• Your name
• Your address
• City / State / Country

• Date written
  
  
• Hiring Manager‘s Name
• Job title of hiring manager
• Company name
• Company address
• City / State / Country
  

Now, if you prefer writing an email cover letter, here are the elements that are needed to put in a cover letter. It will be simpler than the printed version, where you do not have to include the company’s address.

• Your name
• Your address 
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Your LinkedIn / other relevant links

You will have to put a professional greeting before you start writing any contents in a resume cover letter. 

A good salutation will always give a good impression of you before you even see the recruiter in person, meaning that using an appropriate salutation is a very important inclusion in your cover letter.

At some point in our life, we were all probably taught by a teacher or advisor on how to write a cover letter, which makes it highly possible that most people have a similar cover letter opening paragraphs. However, you would not want to bore the recruiters before they reach the most important body of your cover letter with a generic cover letter opening. So, what does a covering letter opening look like, and how should you write one?

An interesting hook will do the job of catching the recruiter’s attention and leave a good first impression. 

Here are the things that should a cover letter contain in the opening paragraph:

1. Purpose of the letter

Incorporating the purpose of writing the letter is very important and should always be included. Recruiters want to know your motivation for writing your cover letter.

2. Your key qualifications

You should include the key qualifications that highlight why the company should employ you. Including relevant qualifications in the related career can prove your chances of success in your application.

3. Your interest in the position

You can mention why you want to be hired for the position you are applying for. Your reasoning is highly personal. Perhaps you hope to work under a famous designer or want to bloom in the company starting from that position.

4. Your objectives / goals for the position

In the last sentence of your opening paragraph, you can mention the short and long-term goals that you have for the position. This shows that you are not shortsighted.

Now, we move on to the most informative section: the body paragraph. It is okay for you to have short paragraphs but do keep it on subject and informative because this is where you summarize your working experience and qualifications.

This is the information that you would want to add in a cover letter for the first body paragraph: 

1. A summary of your experiences and qualifications.

When getting into the first body paragraph, you should summarize or pick out the most outstanding working experience and relevant qualifications. It is also very good if you can include numbers that are more accurate than mere words and build credibility to your accomplishments.

2. Keywords relevant to the job description.

Specific keywords included to describe yourself will help show your value as a candidate. There are different kinds of keywords that can be found in the job description which can show that you are up to standards.

After giving the recruiter an idea of where your skills and experience lie, you should also mention the reason for you being the perfect fit for the job.

1. Demonstrate how your skills and experiences can bring benefits to the new job / company.

If you have gained specific skills that will come highly useful for the job you are applying for, make sure to include them in your cover letter. For instance, if you are applying for a job in web developing and have gained skills such as web designing or data analysis that are highly demanded in the industry, do not be afraid to include these things in your cover letter.

2. Use the STAR method.

The STAR method is an acronym for situation, task, action, and result. It is an easier way for you to figure out how to write the cover letter, while also helping you to elaborate more to the recruiter.

Instead of bragging non-stop to the recruiter in your cover letter, mention something about the company you are applying to. Expressing your interest in joining the company or your desire to get the position should be put in a cover letter to add more points.

1. Your knowledge about the company / position

If you want to apply for a job, you first have to know about the job. You can mention the reason you are interested in the position by including some information about the company. This is also a highly personal feature; for instance, it may be a desire to work under a famous artist or a perfect platform that helps reach your future goals.  

2. How the company goals align with yours

You should do some research on the company’s goals so that you can incorporate them into your cover letter. However, randomly including goals will not help. It is best if you can tell how the company goals and yours are aligned.

Finally, it’s time to wrap things up.

A call-to-action will fit perfectly for you to interact with the recruiter, and is an expression of hope that the recruiter will contact you for more information or an interview. 

Here are the things to put in a cover letter closing paragraph:

1. Invite to meet/interview

Like usual emails and letters, you would invite the recipient to reply to the mail. Here, you should also invite the recruiter to allow you to have an interview with you in person by incorporating your email address and/or phone number.

2. Mention your attachments

Since you have written the resume/CV, you should mention it as a reminder for the recruiter to take a look before jumping into the next person’s cover letter. If you have a portfolio to show, you can also mention it by leaving a website link at the end.

3. Show appreciation

Be polite and thank the recruiter for reading your cover letter. At the same time, you can thank the recruiter in advance for allowing the interview.

You do not want to leave any bad impression from the cover letter. Therefore, a professional complimentary close is very important in showing your respect to the recruiter.

So, what must be included in a cover letter’s complimentary close and signature? 

The simple and formal format is to follow the structure below. Keep the information on the bottom left side and leave a line between the signature and closing paragraph.

Here are some ideas for you to know on what complimentary closes you can include in a cover letter.

Before handing in your job application, you have to proofread the whole letter to ensure there are no mistakes made in terms of grammar, punctuation, and the accuracy of your content and contact information.

The easiest way to do this is by checking the job listing from the company to see what are the requirements needed for a job application. You do not want to miss things and let the chance fly past you.

Do you still have a question in mind? Here are some frequently asked cover letter questions that may help to clear up your confusion! 

💭 What are the 4 parts of a cover letter?

• Contact information of you and the company/hiring manager
• Opening Paragraph/Introduction 
• Middle Paragraph/Body Paragraph (1-2 Paragraphs)
• Closing Paragraph
• Sign-off

💭 What should I  include in a cover letter for an internship?

The main difference in content between a general cover letter and a cover letter specific for internships is the experience. A student might not have as much (or any) working experience compared to someone who has been working for years. Therefore, if you are writing a cover letter for an internship, you should emphasize your educational background  that relates to the job, relevant activities that you have participated in, and skills that you have gained.

💭 What do I  mention in a cover letter?

• Key achievements
• Qualifications
• Relevant working experience
• Hard and soft skills

💭 What does a cover letter look like?

A cover letter is best when you can make it similar to the resume. It is suggested to use a template to match the appearance in the same color tone, font, and design. To keep things formal, it should always be black and white.

Here are 3 cover letter examples for you to take a look at:

--- Originally written by Ryan Goh ---