Hi Kajal

A cover letter allows you to personalize your resume when it is mailed to prospective employers in response to ads or to inquire about possible interviews. Your cover letter should motivate the reviewer to read your resume and invite you for an interview. It should provide an excellent first impression of you and your ability to communicate. The tone should be warm and conversational, as well as professional. Convey enthusiasm for the company.

Cover letter contents:

Address:  

• Make sure your name, address, phone number and e-mail id are in the header of your letter.
• Include your employer’s address and other contact information.
• Never send a letter to a generic HR department, addressed as Dear Sir/Madam or whom so ever it may concern. Try to find out who exactly will be dealing with your application and what their title is and address it to them.

 Opening paragraph:

 The 1^st paragraph should arouse the reader’s interest. It should contain not more than four sentences. State:

• The position for which you are applying.
• Your employment objective.
• How and where you learned of the position or organization.
• Why is the job good for you?

                     Make it clear to the employer what exactly is it about the job that attracts you. It is better to try and pick out one aspect of the job that particularly appeals to you and explain why.

 Body of the letter:

 The 2^nd paragraph should make the employer desire to interview you by explaining what you can do for his company. Put yourself in the employer’s position and state:

• Why are you good for the job?
• Describe your educational and work experience backgrounds.
• Relate your skills and accomplishments to specific job requirements.

 For fresher’s or people with no relevant work experience, relate your accomplishments, internships, research, and projects to the qualities the company is looking for. You can use examples to bring in additional skills that may not be directly relevant. Use interesting examples that cast you in a separate light to others applying for the position.

Closing paragraph:

The last paragraph should request action. In all circumstances be courteous but use a direct approach.

• Mention the action that you will take. Ex: you will soon call to arrange for an interview.
• Request the action you would like the employer to take. Ex: call you to arrange for an interview, send additional information etc.
• Refer the reader to your enclosed resume or other documents.
• Thank the reader for taking time to review and consider your documents.

Indicate your willingness to answer further questions.