Cover Letter And Checklist: Fill & Download for Free

Your cover letter is often your first interview with a company, the first chance for a hiring agent to get to know you. A good resume cover letter can help you make a good impression and get an interview. A weak cover letter might cause your resume to be placed in the reject pile.Many of our clients have asked, “What do I put in my cover letter?” And nearly all of our clients have needed assistance with organizing the content of their letters. Below, we will address both of these issues. If you come seeking our help with your resume and cover letter, great. However, the brief guide below should get you started on writing a successful cover letter.Cover Letter Content and OrganizationParagraph One: Introduce yourself and state your intentions. This 1 to 2-sentence paragraph tells the reviewer who you are and why you are submitting your cover letter and resume. For companies with multiple job openings, this paragraph also tells the reviewer which pile to put your resume in. Your name is at the bottom of the letter in the signature line, so you don’t need to repeat it here. Instead, describe the type of person you are.Example: As an experienced sales and marketing professional, I am interested in the position of regional sales manager with the XYZ Company.Paragraph Two: Summarize your qualifications for the position. Focus on your abilities, not your specific skills. (Abilities are personal characteristics; skills are specific behaviors you can perform. You can learn skills, if needed, but abilities tell what kind of person you are.) The description of your abilities lets the reviewer know if you will be able to learn the skills and how you will perform in a professional environment.However, be careful of using “buzz words” without illustration. You can briefly address your professional history in this paragraph as a way to illustrate your abilities. 3 to 4 sentences should be sufficient.Example: I am a creative, yet focused, professional with strong managerial skills. My knowledge of system integration, coupled with my leadership abilities, has enabled me to identify and enact efficiencies in even the most complicated organizational environments. For example, in my most recent position, I created new quality control processes and instructed inter-departmental teams on their use. Although I am a “company man,” I am also an individual thinker, seeking new opportunities for the company to reach target markets and surpass financial goals.Paragraph Three: In this paragraph, you answer this question: “Why are you applying for this position?” In answering this question, you address two issues. First, describe how this position fits your abilities and interests. In a sense, you are saying that this position is appropriate for who you are now. Second, describe how this position will help you advance your career goals. This tells the reviewer that you have a strong interest in the position and will do what you can to succeed and grow. Again, 3 to 4 sentences will be enough.Example: The leadership and marketing perspective required for a regional sales manager align with my abilities and experiences. I am enthusiastic about expanding my broad knowledge of the market and diverse populations, two aspects of this position I find particularly exciting. Furthermore, this position will assist me to advance into progressively higher responsibilities, and it will provide the satisfaction I earn by succeeding in new and challenging responsibilities.Paragraph Four: The final paragraph is short, 1 – 2 sentences only. In this paragraph, you bring your resume cover letter to a close by thanking the reviewer and by calling for action. You say “thank you” because that is polite and professional. (After all, the person has read this far and deserves your gratitude.) The action step is essential. Here you answer the question “What’s next?” Will you call the person? Do you want the person to contact you? Do you want to set up an interview? State the action as the final sentence.Example: Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss how I can support the mission of the XYZ Company.Word Choice to Express Your IdeasThe content of your cover letter is important, but so is how you express your ideas. The words you use affect how the personnel manager interprets the content. Based on our work helping clients prepare resumes, we have created a list of 7 words your resume needs, words that will create a favorable impression of you.1. SuccessfullyCompanies want to hire winners. Use this word to describe your accomplishments in a prior responsibility.Example: I successfully negotiated a new contract for services.2. LeadershipCompanies want to hire leaders. Use this word to describe your involvement with task and project teams.Example: Under my leadership, the customer service unit managed all client records.3. TeamCompanies want to hire people who can cooperate with others to accomplish company goals. Use this word to describe your involvement with colleagues.Example: Our team was responsible for answering customers’ questions about products.4. CreatedCompanies want to hire innovators. Use this word to describe new ideas and processes you developed.Example: I created a checklist to track daily service tasks.5. Expanded/Increased (the verb, not the adjective)Companies want to hire people that will help them grow. Use this word to describe your participation in company growth.Example: During this time, the company expanded the product line to include 2 new models.6. Support (the verb, not the noun)Companies want to hire people who will assist the management team. Use this word to describe your relationship with your former supervisors.Example: I supported the division director by compiling financial data.7. WillCompanies want to hire people who are confident about their ability to deliver what they promise. Use this word to describe what you will do if hired.Example: I will solve customer software and hardware problems.Some of these words may not apply to your resume or cover letter. However, if you think carefully about your prior experiences, you will find that you can use most of them. Using these words does not guarantee that you will get the job you want, but they will help you make a good impression.Final ThoughtsEffective writing and the correct use of writing mechanics are very important. Once you have developed the draft of your resume and cover letter, you will need to edit it carefully.

I hire online freelancers regularly to complete tasks for a number of startups I’ve work for. I’ve used them for article writing and editing, graphic design, social media content creation and curating third party content, and web research. But I have no experience in using online freelancers for UI design.This is the process of how I select which online freelancer to hire for a job. I have a checklist and the online freelancer has to meet every point on that list. As soon as a job application doesn’t respond to a point in the checklist I stop reading and move on to the next application. The cover letter is the first point in the checklist, but not the only point.I hope I’m right to respond to this question in the context of how to get more replies to job applications in general, not just based on the cover letter, however that is also included here. You look like you already have an impressive portfolio, so the key here is to provide the same quality response to each step in the freelancer selection process.1. Cover LetterThe worst thing an online freelancer can do for a cover letter is to write a generic cover letter which is copied and pasted into numerous job applications. I can spot these straight away. I would say about 60% of cover letters I receive are generic.Respond to unique requirements of the job brief. If you are experienced in this type of service you should be able to pick what makes this job unique or challenging. Address these points outright and highlight how you are best positioned to deal with these intricacies e.g. similarities with past jobs.Ask the client questions to clarify any vague details in the job brief. I appreciate when the freelancer can add value and pays attention to the job requirements and my needs as a client.2. Freelancer ProfileYour profile should highlight your niche skills (hard and soft skills), past work experience, and relevant client testimonials. It is a common error for beginners to market themselves as a generalist, however credibility is built on niche offerings and specialist expertise rather than someone who claims they can do everything.Write concisely. As a client I don’t have time to waste and want to know the important details quickly. I quickly get an impression of the freelancer from skimming the text.Be a master of written English. (This doesn’t appear to be an issue with you, but for others considering online freelancing reading this response it may be.)Your ability to communicate is the package in which you deliver your freelancing skills as a product. Develop your written communication skills. Learn to recognise the different tones that clients use and mimic how they communicate, whether it’s formal, professional, or friendly. Communication is key to understanding client needs and delivering an outstanding customer service.Online reputation can be quickly assessed based on how many five stars (or similar rating system) a freelancer has on their profile. I am reluctant to hire a freelancer with no stars. Unless I’m struggling to find a freelancer who can deliver to strict timeframes and the value of the project is not too much. The volume of five stars you have means that other clients have been satisfied with the quality of your work. It also means that you have a lot to lose from delivering poorly. This is valued highly in the online freelancer marketplace. However, the quality of your portfolio and client testimonials may negate this beginner’s issue.3. PortfolioSubmit relevant samples of your work.A helpful extra would be to provide and highlight relevant and specific client testimonials.4. InterviewKnow your limits. Don’t claim to be able to do everything. If a client asks whether you can do an additional task, be honest and clarify where you have expertise and where you have no experience in a task. They may be testing to see whether you find it difficult to say no or whether you claim to provide services outside of your domain. (This is not a common issue in English speaking cultures, but it can be an important point in cultures that have difficulty saying no.)Some quick pieces of advice:I often hire multiple freelancers to complete mini jobsbefore selecting the best freelancer/s for the bigger job or ongoing job. I use the mini jobs as a test to see how the freelancer works and communicates.Depending on the service you provide, if you are offering a premium service and targeting premium end clients you may be interested in improving your online professional brand by having a complete, comprehensive and engaging LinkedIn profile and/or a blogthat provides a more comprehensive portfolio and client testimonials to further support to your freelancer platform profile.If you are interested in entering the world of Upwork, here is an interesting quote from Ryan Johnson, the categories director of Upwork:A common mistake that newbies make is they create a profile that presents them as a generalist, and as a result it is hard for them to find work.What freelancers should instead do is position themselves as an expert in one of the more than 3,000 listable skills, as that’s who clients want to hire. The various elements of your profile – your overview, your description of your educational achievements and work experience, and your introduction video – may help you develop your branding for this particular expertise.It can be tough to get your first job but it’s important to keep at it just like any other job search. You may consider starting with a lower hourly rate until you build up your portfolio and then give yourself a raise.

Here is a quick checklist you can use to guide you as an outline when writing your cover letter:GeneralDon't just repeat what's in your resumeThree paragraphs, maxPerfect spelling and grammarSave and send it as a PDF fileBeginningDon't address anyone unless you know their nameGrab their attention in the first 2 paragraphs, using numbers or italics/boldNever say “My name is ___, and I am applying for ___."Drop what you know about the company, or who you know, to show you have done your researchTell why you want to work there and be sincereConclusionClose strong by quickly explaining how your experience will help you with the jobAlso ask for the interview at the end.