Many job seekers tend to view the cover letter as inferior to the resume, which is why they make one of the worst job search mistakes. Perhaps this is because some people do not care how a gift is wrapped, but what is inside the package. But you know what they say about first impressions, right? Regardless of what you believe, your prospect of landing an interview or a job ends where this letter ends.

However, attaching this document will not by itself convince the reader to look at the resume you have attached if the first one does not adhere to certain essentials. Writing a good cover letter requires you to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Sound like a sales letter?

Suppose you are writing a sales pitch for a product, how would you frame it? What information would it contain? Now consider the product you are selling to a potential employer. Does your message have the essence and importance necessary for such a letter? Remember that in this document is your ability to persuade a potential employer to invite you for an interview. Think critically about your content and style before writing it.

2. Will the reader be attracted to your letter?

Writing a cover letter involves packing a precious object. The recipient may reject or accept your gift depending on the appearance of the package. Judging by its appearance, can the reader of your text prioritize it over the rest? One method to ensure that your document is attractive is to organize it logically. Also, use your word processor’s built-in capabilities to make margins and spaces adequate enough for easy navigation and readability.

3. Is the language and content persuasive enough?

The language of a cover letter is crucial in determining whether your document will be read or ignored. Writing it is not just about using the acceptable form of English, but about how you express yourself and the content you are offering, as this will influence the reader’s decision to shortlist you for an interview. Borrow a sheet of a love letter, if you know how to write one.

4. Have you focused on the skills your prospective employer is looking for?

Each vacancy advertisement indicates the type of skills expected of the selected candidate and their success depends on their content matching this requirement. Knowing how to write a cover letter involves informing the employer how exactly you fit the picture. What educational background, skills and experiences do you have that match the description of the selected candidate? Your resume may contain many skills, but in this text you only list what is relevant to the job you are applying for.

5. What value will you bring to the organization, if you are an employee?

A cover is a careful balancing act because you are expected to blow your own trumpet but also inform the reader of what value you will bring to the signature. The focus here shifts to the organization rather than the individual, but within the same letter. Considering that you are one of many who will be applying for a particular vacancy, pay close attention to this section when writing a cover letter.

6. Have you reviewed your cover letter?

Among the most irritating and demoralizing aspects of this crucial document are spelling and grammatical errors. It speaks volumes about your level of carelessness if you send a one-page letter full of glaring typos and misspellings. For many potential employers, this is an unforgivable mistake. Do everything you can, including asking someone who is fluent in the language for help, to make sure your letter is free of errors.

Whenever you sit down to write a cover letter, remember that you are engaging in business communication with a product to sell to a customer. In this case, you are the seller; the prospective buyer is the reader. Your skills and competencies are the product, while your letter is the advertisement. Learn how to write a compelling and presentable letter if you want the reader to look at your resume and shortlist you for an interview.