It is advisable that the cover letter contains from 3 to 4 paragraphs, which will contain an introduction, qualifications, your interest in the vacancy and a conclusion.
How Long Should A Cover Letter Be
If you’ve finally found the job you’ve been dreaming of for a long time, chances are you want to submit the perfect resume. However, when you apply and open the cover letter section, there are a lot of questions here. How long should a cover letter be? Do cover letter have to be one page? What does a success cover letter do? Is it optional to send it? So, if you don’t know anything about cover letters, keep reading for more details.
Cover Letter Length
Now more and more people are asking such a question as “how long should my cover letter be”, so it’s time to answer it. So, perfect cover letter characteristics are the following:
- If you want to know a page count so that your letter is not long and not short, then the ideal option is from 0.5 to 1.
- The most acceptable word count is 250 to 400.
- Don’t know how much paragraphs should a cover letter contain? Ideally, this is from 3 to 6.
What Does A Success Cover Letter Do?
If you want to write a good and successful cover letter, there are a few tips to follow. First of all, you should remember that your letter should not exceed one page. However, how can you write it in just one page? There are some tips below:
- Brevity is the sister of talent
Of course, a cover letter is your chance to show your personality, but managers won’t read a 5 page story about your life. Thus, it is very important to be concise as managers have to go through a huge amount of cover letters.
So, you need to highlight any experience that shows your qualifications and that you are suitable for the job. It is also a good advantage if you show your interest in the job. Very often, managers mark brevity as a positive trait of a potential employee.
- Be specific and avoid repetition
In some cover letters, the employer requires a certain number of words, but if there is no limit, try to be brief and indicate only the essentials. It is very important to first of all indicate your qualifications and everything that relates to this vacancy. Also demonstrate how your previous experience can help the company solve problems and what skills you have for the job. Specificity is an important part of a cover letter. Reread the letter and make sure there are no repetitions in it in order to show your best side.
- Divide the letter into sections
In order to write the perfect cover letter, you must remember that it should be 3 to 4 paragraphs long. Each sentence should be short and clear. Thus, the employer will be able to quickly navigate the letter and find the information he needs.
- Level of experience
This is where you need to focus and share my achievements that set you apart from other candidates. Write down how many years of experience you have and select just a few key achievements in order not to make the letter too long.
- Formatting
You probably haven’t thought about it, but the format of the letter is also very important. The more white space on the page, the easier it is to read your letter. You also need to use a legible font, align yourself text to the left and keep standard margins.
How Many Paragraphs Should A Cover Letter Be?
Ideally, a cover letter should be 3 to 4 paragraphs long. Pay attention to what they should be and what they should contain:
- Introduction. The main purpose of the first paragraph is to grab the attention of the decision maker, so you need to show Interest in the company. Thus, always before writing a letter researches the company, the position in which you want to get.
- Qualifications. In this paragraph, you must impress the employer or manager with data that would support your qualifications. Operate with numbers, specify what you did in your previous job and how you achieved it.
- Your interest. After you’ve demonstrated your desire to work for a company and impressed the employer with your qualifications, you need to talk about why you want to take this particular place in this company. You can say you’ve watched a company for a long time and mention its successes to show you are interested.
- Conclusion. In the last paragraph, you should once again demonstrate your interest in the chosen position. Here you can also thank the manager or employer for their attention and suggest a personal meeting. Also, do not forget to leave your contact details.
Cover Letter FAQ
Do I Need A Cover Letter?
If the job offer requires a cover letter, then you must of course write it. However, even in cases where it is not required, it is better to include this letter in the application.
Can Cover Letter Be Two Pages?
Yes, the letter can be 2 pages in some situations, but in any case, it is recommended to limit it to one page.
What Should The First Paragraph Of A Cover Letter Include?
In the first paragraph, you should attract attention and show interest in the company where you want to get the position.
How Should A Letter Of Interest Be?
First of all, a letter of interests should contain information why this or that company interests you and why your skills and experience will be valuable for this particular company.
How Long Can A Cover Letter Be?
A cover letter should be simple and straightforward, as managers have to read a huge number of such letters. The most suitable size for such a letter is from 0.5 to 1 page.