how to ask for an interview cover letter

#1 Thing You MUST Say In Your Cover Letter

Is there one thing you can say in a cover letter that will guarantee it accomplishes its purpose? Absolutely!

A cover letter serves as an introduction to your resume and to yourself as a candidate for employment. It's the place to show your interest in the position and make a personal connection between who you are and why you're a great fit for the opportunity.

Showing your interest and passion for the company is important in the cover letter. However, saying this one thing is almost an ultimate guarantee you'll get the interview...

You know that old saying, "Ask and you shall receive"? It's true. It may sound like common sense and obvious advice, but how many times have you sent a cover letter with your resume and not asked for the interview? It's easy to do!

Should You Ask For An Interview In A Cover Letter?

You may be hesitant to ask for an interview in your cover letter (or might just forget to do so) but you absolutely should. It shows confidence and enthusiasm for the opportunity.

How Do You Ask For An Interview In A Cover Letter?

In the closing paragraph of your cover letter, all you need to do is ask the employer for an interview. Statistics have indicated job seekers who ask for the interview in their cover letters are twice as likely to get the interview.

Below, we give you several examples that you can modify and use in your own cover letter.

Examples Of How To Ask For A Job Interview In Your Cover Letter

I'm excited about the Director of Sales position with XYZ Widgets and would love the opportunity to meet in person to further discuss my experience and the value I can offer you as your next Director of Sales. Please call me at 555.555.5555 to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience.

I would love a personal interview at your earliest convenience to further discuss my credentials with you. I can be reached at 555.555.5555 and will follow up as well to make sure you've received my information.

Thank you for your time reviewing my resume. I welcome the opportunity to discuss in a personal interview my qualifications and fit for the position. Feel free to reach me at 555.555.5555 at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I'd love the opportunity to further discuss the position and my experience with you. Please reach out to me at 555.555.5555 to schedule an interview.

Remember: You can ask for the interview with any wording you're comfortable with, whether that's with more direct language or not. The key thing is to close your cover letter by asking for the interview.

A cover letter is your chance to connect with an employer and explain your passion for what they do and how you believe you can help them achieve their goals as a company. If you do all that and ask for the job interview at the end of your cover letter, you'll be much more likely to get a call from the hiring manager.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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11 Ways To Enjoy Summer When You’re Working A Full-Time Job

There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.

When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals , as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!

Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.

1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs

Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.

2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car​

Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities . Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.

3. Plan An Office Outing

Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!

4. Organize Group Walks

Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

5. Eat Lunch At The Park

When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.

6. Organize Office Sports

Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.

7. Join A Professional Group

During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.

8. Have An Office BBQ

Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.

9. Wake Up Early

Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!

10. Strategically Use Your Time Off

Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time . Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.

11. Bike To Work

If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!

There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!

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How to Ask for an Interview in a Letter

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How to Write a Letter Looking for Work

How to write a letter of intent for an employer, how to sell yourself in a 60 second interview.

• Effective Interview Thank You Letters
• How to Persuade Someone to Hire You for a Job

The number of interviews you get might be a gauge for measuring the effectiveness of your cover letters. A cover letter has two primary objectives: It gives a succinct description of what you have to offer and it compels the recruiter to review your resume. Your end goal is, therefore, a call from the recruiter to schedule an interview. Using your cover letter to convey reasons why you should be interviewed, then wrapping up your letter by politely asking for an interview, often is a successful approach.

Opening Your Letter

Create an impressive introduction that says who you are and why you’re sending your resume. You could request an interview in this paragraph, but you're more likely to get the positive results you want if you lay a foundation first. The reader doesn’t know enough about your qualifications from just the first few sentences of your letter.

I am a recent graduate of Texas A & M with a 3.8 GPA in accounting looking for related work in a w__ell-established company like yours.

Describing Your Qualifications

The second paragraph should highlight your skills and expertise that mirror the job requirements. This is where you start convincing the reader that you’re a qualified candidate deserving an interview. Select three to five of your qualifications that align with the company’s needs. Provide details about your expertise incorporating applicable industry terminology, and if you hold project management professional certification incorporate that into the body of your letter.

I am confident that I have the organizational skills to excel at the project management job. In my current position, I am responsible for multiple projects with competing deadlines. I just finished major updates to our company's proprietary software ahead of s__hedule.

Expanding on Your Skills

Focus on your core competencies and professional skills. This is another angle to further convince the reader that you’re qualified. Pull key words and phrases from the job posting and match them to your competencies. For example, if the job posting says the company seeks candidates who pay attention to detail and are comfortable working in a fast-paced industry, describe yourself in those terms.

I am a detail-focused professional who thrives in deadline-centered work environments.

Add a sentence or two about your professional values and business principles. Character matters to potential employers.

If you are seeking an ethical, hard working employee committed to ongoing professional development, I am an ideal candidate.

Closing Your Letter

There are a couple different ways to end your letter. One option is to extend your appreciation for the opportunity to submit an application. Also mention your interest in an interview.

Thanks in advance for your favorable consideration. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this job opening with you in a personal interview.

Alternatively, state when you’ll follow up to schedule an interview.

I appreciate your favorable consideration. In the next couple of days, I’ll call you to follow up on my interest and find a mutually convenient day and time for us to meet in person.

The latter generally is used by job seekers who describe themselves as go-getters. If you are low-key, stick to the subtle, yet still direct closing to your letter.

• HCareers: Get Noticed: Write A Cover Letter That Makes You Stand Out
• The Ladders: Using Cover Letter Keywords to Craft Cover Letters that Get Noticed
• JobBank USA: Need a Hot Tip on Writing Cover Letters that Get Interviews?

Ruth Mayhew has been writing since the mid-1980s, and she has been an HR subject matter expert since 1995. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry," and she has been cited in numerous publications, including journals and textbooks that focus on human resources management practices. She holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Ruth resides in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

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How to Ask for a Job Interview

Last Updated: April 26, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Adrian Klaphaak, CPCC . Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology, and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 274,158 times.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Oh wow, I’d really love to work here, but I don’t even know where to start?” A great first step is to get your foot in the door by landing an interview. If you can nail the interview, you can get almost any job that you want. The thing is, to get an interview, you’ve got to ask for one. Luckily, whether it’s your dream job or a position that will help you advance in your career path, asking for an interview doesn’t have to be super complicated. Whether you’re reaching out by email or you’re including a cover letter in your application, the key is to grab the attention of your potential boss and show them why you’re a great candidate for the job. After that, asking is the easy part!

Email Template to Ask for a Job Interview

When to Ask

• For instance, you could craft a subject line like “Interview Request for Personal Assistant Position.”
• If the company has multiple locations, include the one you’re applying for in the subject line.
• Keep it professional and avoid using demanding or rude language like, “I want an interview.”

• If you want to take a shot at applying to work for your favorite company, it might be worth a shot!
• Some people may have an email filter that blocks messages with attachments. If your email gets returned to you as undeliverable, try sending it again without your resume attached.

• For example, you could say something like, “I’d love the chance to talk more about the position! Let me know if you’d like to set up an interview.”
• Go with something like “Sincerely” or “Best” as a professional complimentary close.

• For example, you could end the call by saying something like, “I’d love to discuss the job more with you. Can we set up a 20-minute meeting to talk in person?”
• Twenty minutes won’t eat up too much of their time and they may be more likely to agree to a short interview.
• If they aren’t available any time soon, ask them if you can schedule a short meeting for a specific time and date. Leave your name and number so they have your info.

• For instance, after you talk to a manager about why you’re interested in the job, you could say something like, “But listen, I know you’re super busy. If it’s alright with you, could we set up a short, 20-minute meeting to talk more about it?”
• If a manager isn’t available to speak with you, try leaving your name and number with a receptionist or another work and ask them to give you a call.

• For example, you could start your email with something like, “Hello, my name is Chris Smith, and I’m writing in regards to the office manager position. I’d love the opportunity to be considered and potentially interview for the position.”

• Try to mention skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. For instance, if you’re trying to get an interview for a copy editor position, talk about your writing skills and work ethic rather than your love of graphic novels or hiking.
• If you’re applying for a receptionist position, for example, you could say something like, “Anybody who knows me knows that I love talking to people and helping them find what they need, which should come in handy as a receptionist. I’m also a fast learner and I’m happy to try new things if something comes up that I can help out with in the office.”

• If your email is really long, it may get ignored.
• Try a friendly and flexible request like, “I’m really interested in the position, and I’m available to meet for an interview whenever it’s most convenient for you.”

• If your email address isn’t super professional, you might want to make a new one that’s a little more formal.
• Whatever you do, do not use decorative fonts like Comic Sans!
• Make sure you spell the person’s name correctly if you know it and use the right title. For instance, if they’re a doctor, use the “Dr.” title rather than Mr. or Ms.

• You could add a line like, “Let me know if you’d like to see a copy of my current resume.”

• Waiting for a response can feel agonizing. But try not to follow up with emails asking about your potential interview or you could turn them off to the idea of hiring you.

• Take a look at their company structure so you know who the bosses are.

• If you can’t use a landline, try to find a place where your phone has full service.

• If they’re unavailable, try asking for their voicemail. You can leave a short message asking them to call you back. Make sure you leave your name and number so they can reach you.

• If they don’t have time for a call, ask them when would be a better time for you to call back.

• For instance, if you’re calling about an accounting position, you could say something like, “I’ve always been good with numbers. That’s why I majored in accounting in college and started working at a firm as soon as I graduated.”
• If you don’t have a ton of academic credentials, try focusing more on your experience. For a construction manager position, for example, you could say something like, “I’ve been on job sites all my life and I’ve been a manager for the past 6 years.”

• Avoid having a resume longer than 1 page or you could turn off a potential employer.

• For instance, let’s say you want to try to land an interview for a copy editor position, you could say something like, “I love writing, I love reading, and I love reading and editing writing. I’ve always had a knack for helping people improve their work and I believe in the work you guys do. I think I’d be a great fit if you’d be willing to give me a shot.”
• You may not have much time to catch their attention. A strong, short pitch could land you a potential interview.
• Try practicing your pitch to friends and family for feedback.

• Be polite to the receptionist. You don’t want to make any enemies before you even talk to the manager!
• If you aren’t able to speak with a hiring manager, ask if you can leave your resume with the front desk. That way, they’ll have all of your contact info and work experience handy.

• If they don’t have time for an interview then, ask if you can schedule one for another time.

Common Questions: What to Say to Secure an Interview

How do you ask for an interview on LinkedIn?

Craft a message that’s specific and personable to increase your chances of getting a response on LinkedIn. For example, kindly ask about openings in a specific department rather than “I was wondering if your company had any openings.” Use a respectful tone and thank who you’re writing to for their time and help. [25] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source

How do you ask for an interview over the phone?

Submit a resume or application to the company 1–2 days before you call so they can pull up your information when you call. Explore their website and/or company mission and practice your talking points about why you’d be a great fit. At the end of the call, be direct and state that you’d like to schedule an interview. [26] X Research source

What do you say when scheduling an interview?

Introduce yourself and remind the hiring manager which position you’ve applied for. Discuss how your qualifications and skills are a good fit and share work experiences to back up your claims. Mention any mutual connections with the company, then politely ask to learn more about the position in an interview. [27] X Research source

• If a company requests specific information in your cover letter, make sure you include that as well! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://businessjournalism.org/2017/01/how-to-ask-for-an-interview-via-email-5-key-steps/
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2014/10/10/5-steps-to-making-sure-you-land-that-job-interview/?sh=78043bff70d2
• ↑ https://money.usnews.com/money/careers/applying-for-a-job/articles/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/04/22/how-cold-calling-can-land-you-a-job/?sh=726e53aa3a3e
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/09/19/is-it-still-possible-to-walk-into-a-company-and-just-ask-for-a-job/?sh=6b7b535638ce
• ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/get-that-interview-with-a_b_4996669
• ↑ https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/10-email-templates-every-successful-job-hunter-needs.html
• ↑ https://www.bmeaningful.com/blog/2017/08/how-to-ask-for-an-informational-interview-by-email/
• ↑ https://www.menlo.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/writing-a-formal-email.pdf
• ↑ Adrian Klaphaak, CPCC. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 18 December 2018.
• ↑ https://www.careerfaqs.com.au/careers/job-hunting-tips/top-10-telephone-tips-for-calling-about-a-job
• ↑ https://careertrend.com/how-to-ask-for-a-job-over-the-phone-13648314.html
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/11/what-to-say-when-youre-reaching-out-to-someone-on-linkedin
• ↑ https://www.tealhq.com/post/how-do-you-call-and-ask-for-an-interview

About This Article

The best way to ask for an interview is to send an email to the potential employer expressing interest in the job and requesting a chance to interview. In your message, say that you are very excited about the opportunity to interview for the position. You might write, “I would love to meet with you to discuss how I can be an asset to your company.” Additionally, provide a two week window of time when you’re available, but don’t specify a particular time because the interviewer may be unavailable then. For more tips, including how to prepare for the interview, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Cover Letter: Your Full Guide (With Tips and Examples)

It’s a familiar cycle: You sit down to write a cover letter, open a blank document, check your email, browse cover letter examples , do some chores, watch that cursor blink a few more times, and finally Google something like “how to write a cover letter”—which hopefully brought you here. But you still might be thinking, does anyone really read cover letters? Why do they even exist?

First: Yes, we can assure you that cover letters do, in fact, get read. To some hiring managers, they’re the most important part of your job application. And regardless, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above all the other candidates.

To ensure your letter is in amazing shape (and crafting it is as painless as possible), we’ve got easy-to-follow steps plus examples, a few bonus tips, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Get that cover letter out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

What is a cover letter and why is it important?

A cover letter is a brief (one page or less) note that you write to a hiring manager or recruiter to go along with your resume and other application materials.

Done well, a cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to how your skills and experience line up with the specific job you’re pursuing. It also affords you an opportunity to hint to the reviewer that you’re likable, original, and likely to be a great addition to the team.

Instead of using cover letters to their strategic advantage, most job applicants blabber on and on about what they want, toss out bland, cliché-filled paragraphs that essentially just regurgitate their resume, or go off on some strange tangent in an effort to be unique. Given this reality, imagine the leg up you’ll have once you learn how to do cover letters right.

How long should a cover letter be?

An ideal cover letter typically ranges from a half page to one full page. Aim to structure it into four paragraphs, totaling around 250 to 400 words, unless the job posting states otherwise. Some employers may have specific guidelines like word or character limits, writing prompt, or questions to address. In such cases, be sure to follow these instructions from the job posting.

How to write a cover letter hiring managers will love

Now that you’re sold on how important cover letters are, here are eight steps to writing one that screams, “I’m a great hire!”

Step 1: Write a fresh cover letter for each job (but yes, you can use a template)

Sure, it’s way faster and easier to take the cover letter you wrote for your last application, change the name of the company, and send it off. But most employers want to see that you’re truly excited about the specific position and organization—which means creating a custom letter for each position.

While it’s OK to recycle a few strong sentences and phrases from one cover letter to the next, don’t even think about sending out a 100% generic letter. “Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company” is an immediate signal to recruiters and hiring managers that you’re mass-applying to every job listing that pops up on LinkedIn.

At the same time, there’s nothing that says you can’t get a little help: Try out one of our free cover letter templates to make the process a bit easier.

Step 2: Add your contact info

At the top of your cover letter, you should list out your basic info. You can even copy the same heading from your resume if you’d like. Some contact info you might include (and the order to include it in):

• Your pronouns (optional)
• Your location (optional)
• Your email address
• Your phone number (optional)
• Your Linkedin, portfolio, or personal website URL (optional)

Note that only name and email are mandatory, and you don’t need to put a full address on a cover letter or resume anymore. A city and state (or metro area) are more than enough. So your header might look like this:

Inigo Montoya he/him Florin Metropolitan Area [email protected] 555-999-2222

If the job posting tells you to submit your cover letter in the body of an email, you can add your contact info at the end, after your name (and if you’d like to forgo the email address here, you can—they have it already). So your sign off could look like this:

Violet Baudelaire she/her [email protected] 123-123-1234

https://www.linkedin.com/in/violet-baudelaire/

Step 3: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager—preferably by name

The most traditional way to address a cover letter is to use the person’s first and last name, including “Mr.” or “Ms.” (for example, “Dear Ms. Jane Smith” or just “Dear Ms. Smith”). But to avoid accidentally using the wrong title—or worse, inadvertently misgendering someone—first and last name also work just fine.

If “Dear” feels a bit too stiff, try “Hello.” But never use generic salutations like “ To Whom it May Concern ” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

For more help, read these rules for addressing your cover letter and a few tips for how to find the hiring manager .

Step 4: Craft an opening paragraph that’ll hook your reader

Your opening sets the stage for the whole cover letter. So you want it to be memorable, friendly, conversational, and hyper-relevant to the job you’re pursuing.

No need to lead with your name—the hiring manager can see it already. But it’s good to mention the job you’re applying for (they may be combing through candidates for half a dozen different jobs).

You could go with something simple like, “I am excited to apply for [job] with [Company].” But consider introducing yourself with a snappy first paragraph that highlights your excitement about the company you’re applying to, your passion for the work you do, and/or your past accomplishments.

This is a prime spot to include the “why” for your application. Make it very clear why you want this job at this company. Are you a longtime user of their products? Do you have experience solving a problem they’re working on? Do you love their brand voice or approach to product development? Do your research on the company (and check out their Muse profile if they have one) to find out.

Read this next: 30 Genius Cover Letter Openers Recruiters Will LOVE

Step 5: Convey why you’d be a great hire for this job

A common cover letter mistake is only talking about how great the position would be for you. Frankly, hiring managers are aware of that—what they really want to know is what you’re going to bring to the position and company.

So once you’ve got the opening under wraps, you should pull out a few key ideas that will make up the backbone of your cover letter. They should show that you understand what the organization is looking for and spell out how your background lines up with the position.

Study the job description for hints . What problems is the company looking to solve with this hire? What skills or experiences are mentioned high up, or more than once? These will likely be the most important qualifications.

If you tend to have a hard time singing your own praises and can’t nail down your strengths , here’s a quick trick: What would your favorite boss, your best friend, or your mentor say about you? How would they sing your praises? Use the answers to inform how you write about yourself. You can even weave in feedback you’ve received to strengthen your case (occasionally, don’t overuse this!). For example:

“When I oversaw our last office move, my color-coded spreadsheets covering every minute detail of the logistics were legendary; my manager said I was so organized, she’d trust me to plan an expedition to Mars.”

Step 6: Back up your qualifications with examples and numbers

Look at your list of qualifications from the previous step, and think of examples from your past that prove you have them. Go beyond your resume. Don’t just regurgitate what the hiring manager can read elsewhere.

Simply put, you want to paint a fuller picture of what experiences and accomplishments make you a great hire and show off what you can sashay through their doors with and deliver once you land the job.

For example, what tells a hiring manager more about your ability to win back former clients? This: “I was in charge of identifying and re-engaging former clients.” Or this: “By analyzing past client surveys, NPS scores, and KPIs, as well as simply picking up the phone, I was able to bring both a data-driven approach and a human touch to the task of re-engaging former clients.”

If you're having trouble figuring out how to do this, try asking yourself these questions and finding answers that line up with the qualifications you’ve chosen to focus on:

• What approach did you take to tackling one of the responsibilities you’ve mentioned on your resume?
• What details would you include if you were telling someone a (very short!) story about how you accomplished one of your resume bullet points?
• What about your personality, passion, or work ethic made you especially good at getting the job done?

Come up with your examples, then throw in a few numbers. Hiring managers love to see stats—they show you’ve had a measurable impact on an organization you’ve worked for. Did you bring in more clients than any of your peers? Put together an impressive number of events? Make a process at work 30% more efficient? Work it into your cover letter!

This might help: How to Quantify Your Resume Bullets (When You Don't Work With Numbers)

Step 7: Finish with a strong conclusion

It’s tempting to treat the final lines of your cover letter as a throwaway: “I look forward to hearing from you.” But your closing paragraph is your last chance to emphasize your enthusiasm for the company or how you’d be a great fit for the position. You can also use the end of your letter to add important details—like, say, the fact that you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Try something like this:

“I believe my energy, desire to innovate, and experience as a sales leader will serve OrangePurple Co. very well. I would love to meet to discuss the value I could add as your next West Coast Sales Director. I appreciate your consideration and hope to meet with you soon.”

Then be sure to sign off professionally , with an appropriate closing and your first and last name. (Need help? Here are three cover letter closing lines that make hiring managers grimace, plus some better options .)

Step 8: Reread and revise

We shouldn’t have to tell you to run your cover letter through spell-check, but remember that having your computer scan for typos isn’t the same as editing . Set your letter aside for a day or even just a few hours, and then read through it again with fresh eyes—you’ll probably notice some changes you want to make.

You might even want to ask a friend or family member to give it a look. In addition to asking them if they spot any errors, you should ask them two questions:

• Does this sell me as the best person for the job?
• Does it get you excited?

If the answer to either is “no,” or even slight hesitation, go back for another pass.

Cover letter examples

Here are four example cover letters that follow the advice given above. Keep in mind that different situations may require adjustments in your approach. For instance, experienced job seekers can emphasize accomplishments from previous roles, while those with less experience might highlight volunteer work, personal projects, or skills gained through education.

Example #1: Cover letter for a job application

Alia Farhat San Francisco Bay Area [email protected] 444-000-1111

Hello Danny Tanaka,

If I’m being honest, I still haven’t fully gotten over the death of my first Tamagotchi pet when I was six years old. (His name was Tommy, and I’ve gotten far more creative since then, I promise.) When I was older, I discovered NeoPets and I was hooked for years—not just on the site, but on the community that surrounded it. So when I heard about FantasyPets last year, I immediately started following news about your development process, and that’s how I saw your post looking for a marketing strategist. Not only do I have eight years of experience in digital marketing, but as a lifelong gamer with a passion for pet-focused titles who’s spent years in online communities with like-minded people, I also know exactly what kind of messaging resonates with your target audience.

You’re looking for someone to help you craft a social media marketing campaign to go along with your game launch, and I’ve been a part of three launch-day marketing campaigns for mobile and web-based games. In my current role as social media manager at Phun Inc., I proposed a campaign across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok based on competitor research and analysis of our social campaigns for similar games to go along with the launch of the mobile game FarmWorld. Using my strategy of featuring both kids and adults in ads, we ended up driving over one million impressions and 80k downloads in the first three months.

I’ve always believed that the best way to find the right messaging for a game is to understand the audience and immerse myself in it as much as possible. I spend some of my research time on gaming forums and watching Twitch streams and Let’s Plays to see what really matters to the audience and how they talk about it. Of course, I always back my strategies up with data—I’m even responsible for training new members of the marketing team at Phun Inc. in Google AdWords and data visualization.

I believe that my passion for games exactly like yours, my digital marketing and market research experience, and my flair for turning data into actionable insights will help put FantasyPets on the map. I see so much promise in this game, and as a future player, I want to see its user base grow as much as you do. I appreciate your consideration for the marketing strategist role and hope to speak with you soon.

Alia Farhat

Example #2: Cover letter for an internship

Mariah Johnson

New York, NY [email protected] 555-000-1234

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to submit my application for the software development internship at Big Tech. As a student at New York University majoring in computer science with a keen interest in social studies, I believe I would be a good fit for the role. Big Tech's mission to promote equality and a more sustainable world is deeply inspiring, and I would be thrilled to contribute to this mission.

In a recent hackathon, I demonstrated my ability to lead a team in designing and developing an app that directs members of a small community to nearby electronics recycling centers. My team successfully developed a working prototype and presented it to a panel of industry experts who awarded us second place.

I’ve also been an active volunteer at my local library for over four years. During this time, I organized book donation drives, led book fairs, and conducted reading sessions with children. This experience strengthened my presentation and communication skills and confirmed my motivation stems from supporting a good cause. I would be more than happy to bring my passion and dedication to an organization whose mission resonates with me..

Through these experiences, along with my coursework in software engineering, I am confident I am able to navigate the challenges of the Big Tech internship program. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Example #3: Cover letter with no experience

Sarah Bergman

Philadelphia, PA [email protected] 1234-555-6789

Dear Chloe West,

I’m excited to apply for the entry-level copywriting position at Idea Agency. As a recent graduate from State University with a major in mass communications, I’m eager to delve deeper into copywriting for brands, marketing strategies, and their roles in the business world.

Over the past two years, I’ve completed courses in creative writing, copywriting, and essentials of digital marketing. I’ve also been actively involved in extracurricular activities, creating content and promoting student events across multiple online platforms. These experiences expanded my creativity, enhanced my teamwork skills, and strengthened my communication abilities.

As an admirer of your visionary marketing campaigns and Idea Agency’s commitment to sustainability, I’m enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team. I'm confident that I can contribute to your future projects with inventive thinking and creative energy.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications further. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,

Example #4: Career change cover letter

Leslie Smith

Chicago, IL [email protected] 111-222-3344

Dear Paul Jones,

Over the past year, I’ve volunteered to represent my company at a local fair and there I discovered how much fun working face to face with clients would be. Everytime I sold a product for The Solar Company, I often wished it was my full-time job. Now, I'm excited to submit my application for the sales coordinator position with Bloom Sales.

After completing a degree in business administration, I decided to put my outgoing personality and strong communication skills to work as a sales specialist at The Solar Company. I’ve sharpened my presentation and critical thinking skills in client meetings and sourced more than $20,000 in new partnerships. This experience has given me an invaluable foundation, and now I’m confident it's the time to move business administration to sales coordination.

I’m comfortable seeking out new business opportunities, making cold calls, and selling potential clients on the advantages of Bloom Sales products. I attend an average of 10 in-person meetings a week, and interacting with a lot of different personalities is what excites me the most. As a detail-oriented, tech-savvy professional, I have advanced knowledge of Excel and data analysis.

I would love to learn more about your sales strategy for the second semester and discuss how my experience in business administration and client-facing sales exposure would help Bloom Sales achieve its goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Extra cover letter examples

• Pain point cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Buzzfeed-style cover letter example
• Creative cover letter example (from the point-of-view of a dog)

Bonus cover letter tips to give you an edge over the competition

As you write your cover letter, here are a few more tips to consider to help you stand out from the stack of applicants:

• Keep it short and sweet: There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, for resumes and cover letters alike, don’t go over a page. (Check out these tips for cutting down your cover letter .)
• Never apologize for your missing experience: When you don’t meet all of the job requirements, it’s tempting to use lines like, “Despite my limited experience as a manager…” or “While I may not have direct experience in marketing…” But why apologize ? Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, emphasize the strengths and transferable skills you do have.
• Strike the right tone: You want to find a balance between being excessively formal in your writing—which can make you come off as stiff or insincere—and being too conversational. Let your personality shine through, for sure, but also keep in mind that a cover letter shouldn’t sound like a text to an old friend.
• Consider writing in the company’s “voice:” Cover letters are a great way to show that you understand the environment and culture of the company and industry. Spending some time reading over the company website or stalking their social media before you get started can be a great way to get in the right mindset—you’ll get a sense for the company’s tone, language, and culture, which are all things you’ll want to mirror—especially if writing skills are a core part of the job.
• Go easy on the enthusiasm: We can’t tell you how many cover letters we’ve seen from people who are “absolutely thrilled for the opportunity” or “very excitedly applying!” Yes, you want to show personality, creativity, and excitement. But downplay the adverbs a bit, and keep the level of enthusiasm for the opportunity genuine and believable.

The bottom line with cover letters is this: They matter, much more than the naysayers will have you believe. If you nail yours, you could easily go from the “maybe” pile straight to “Oh, hell yes.”

Cover letter FAQs (a.k.a., everything else you need to know about cover letters)

• Are cover letters still necessary?
• Do I have to write a cover letter if it’s optional?
• Can I skip the cover letter for a tech job?
• What does it mean to write a cover letter for a resume?
• How can I write a simple cover letter in 30 minutes?
• How can I show personality in my cover letter?
• What should I name my cover letter file?
• Is a letter of intent different from a cover letter?
• Is a letter of interest different from a cover letter?

Regina Borsellino , Jenny Foss , and Amanda Cardoso contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

• INNOVATION FESTIVAL
• Capital One

10-29-2023 WORK SMARTER

Everything you need to know to write a cover letter that leads to an interview

These simple cover letter tips will help you stand out from the pack.

[Source image: Boris Zhitkov/Getty Images]

BY  Julia Herbst 1 minute read

We’ve all been there: You see a job description that seems perfect. You’ve got the right experience, it’s at a company you admire, and even the pay range seems decent. You should apply! But, inevitably, that means submitting a customized cover letter . Or at least revising the last one you agonized over.

Here at the Work Life section, we get how daunting it can feel to write a cover letter—even when you’re genuinely excited for the job. What do you say? Should you really write a creative hook , or is that cheesy? Can you use ChatGPT ? What actually makes a letter stand out to recruiters ? 

Think of the letter as a chance to do one main thing, writes Marc Cenedella , founder of job search site Ladders: It connects “the positive achievements of your past and future to the present needs of future employers.”

There are also things you definitely want to avoid in a cover letter , says hiring manager Sara McCord . “First things first, I skim the document for anything that could be disqualifying,” she writes. “That includes typos, a “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” salutation, or a vibe so nonspecific that it reeks of find-replace.”

Remember, your cover letter shouldn’t just repeat the same information that you include in your résumé. (We’ve got a whole separate guide on how to ensure your résumé shines , too.) It can be a great place to let your natural enthusiasm for the role come through, writes contributor Judith Humphrey. Sure, they can be a little daunting, but they can also give you the necessary edge over other candidates—especially ones who don’t bother to write a custom message.

“Writing letters may seem old-school, but cover letters do have a number of benefits,” writes Humphrey. “A cover letter gives you an opportunity to personalize your submission, show your interest in and knowledge of the hiring company, and set forth your credentials in a way that is not as formulaic as in your résumé.”

Apply to the Most Innovative Companies Awards and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Early-rate deadline: Friday, August 23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia Herbst is a senior editor for Fast Company's Work Life section, where she covers the future of work, equity and inclusion, and workplace culture. Previously she worked as a writer and editor at Los Angeles magazine and BREAKER magazine   More

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Ask for the Interview: A Simple Cover Letter Tip That Works

Sep 30, 2021 | Cover Letters

The goal of a cover letter is an interview, so why don’t you just ask for it? In this blog post, we show you how.

By: Shyene Joubert | Contributor for Let’s Eat, Grandma

Welcome back, job seeker.

Crafting a cover letter may seem daunting at first. Questions like “What exactly should I say? Do I sound natural?” might fill your head. Luckily, we’ve got you covered ! (Get it?)

This blog post will help you with a specific struggle for many job seekers: How to wrap up your cover letter. We’re going to share a must-have element that our professional writers always recommend including in the closing paragraph, and it’s simple:

Ask for an interview.

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Asking for an interview in the cover letter is a simple and effective call to action. Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

It may sound easy, but it really is an effective touch to end your cover letter. Remember: You are marketing yourself with your applications. Every marketer and salesperson knows you need to close a sale with a good call to action; a clear step you want the prospective customer to take.

Think of asking for the interview like your personal call to action , urging hiring managers to buy in and contact you because of your expertise.

Although it takes more finesse than saying “Hire me now!” in bold letters, this quick closing sentence is your chance to sell your qualifications and desire to join this company. You want to exude confidence to convince the hiring manager to take action.

Don’t believe me?

Recent Statistics

According to Glassdoor :

• 86% of HR professionals indicated recruitment has become more like marketing.
• Only 2% of applicants for the average job will receive interviews.

Only 2 percent?! Now that’s scary. We’re here to arm you with a skill in order to become one of the individuals who advance to the next round.

By initiating the interview conversation, you’re demonstrating your tenacious, go-getter mentality.

However, there are several variables to consider when drafting your cover letter’s closing paragraph. I’ll guide you through them.

Attract Positive Attention

As a job seeker, you don’t want to attract the wrong kind of attention with your cover letter. It’s important to emphasize the valuable skillset you will bring to the role without coming across the wrong way.

Although your tone will vary slightly depending on your industry, we recommend your cover letter maintain a confident, respectful voice throughout. For example, if you’re an executive, you must come across as mature and powerful, as you share some of the lessons you’ve learned in your long career.

Avoid sounding pushy at all costs, for this may cause you to stand out like a sore thumb. Hiring managers want to bring in people who sound excited about the role and who will mesh with their company culture .

Use the Right Tools

By tools, we mean words. Phrasing matters, and that’s why we suggest you use these three practical techniques to wrap up your cover letter:

1. Provide contact information. Although your contact information should also go at the top of your cover letter in the header that matches your resume, it may also be helpful to incorporate your phone number and/or email address into the closing sentence as another helpful reminder that reinforces your ask.

2. Offer availability. You can offer periods of availability that work for you (i.e., “I am available for a phone call Monday-Friday in the evening.”). This shows you’re thinking ahead and carving out time to learn more about this role.

3. Be clear. Make sure your interview ask is direct and clear! A simple sentence like “I look forward to discussing what my background can bring to the team at Company A in greater detail with you during an interview” is concise and professional.

Here’s an example of a cover letter I recently furnished for a client:

This closing paragraph not only summarizes how the job seeker can contribute meaningfully to the organization, but also how to best contact them for an interview. It is straightforward without feeling overbearing. Several clients of mine have been successful when framing their cover letters this way. If you need more ideas for specific wording to use, you can find a handful of examples here .

While requesting an interview on your cover letter or in-person won’t always earn you an interview, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Job searching can be stressful, but creating your application documents doesn’t have to be! Now that you understand the significance of tone, phrasing, and asking for an interview, we hope you feel more confident about writing your cover letter.

If you appreciated this tip and feel like you need more assistance in writing documents that will land you an interview, find out how we can help !

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• Cover Letters

7 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter That Lands Interviews

Cover letters provide the opportunity to elaborate on job skills and past employment experiences listed on your resume, show off your writing ability (something important to nearly all employers), and make yourself stand out among other applicants vying for the same position.

Here are seven tips to write a kick-ass cover letter, and beat the unemployment blues:

Cover Letter Tip 1

Each time you submit a cover letter to an employer, revise the letter to make it specific to the position and company. Highlight job skills, traits and past work experience most relevant to the position at hand.

This means going beyond inserting the name of the company and a few detailed sentences into a previously written letter.

Employers recognize when job applicants have sent a stock cover letter, and when they’ve written a unique one (especially when you forget to change the name of the company, telling Company A how interested you are in the available position at Company B) .

Avoid this recipe for how not to get an interview. Draft a custom cover letter for each position for which you apply.

Cover Letter Tip 2

Follow the format of a business letter. This means including contact information at the top (name, address, phone number, email), followed by the date, a formal greeting, well-organized body paragraphs, and a formal closing.

The text should be left-justified and double-spaced between paragraphs. Keep the length to one page.

Proofread the letter. Have someone else proofread for you. Edit, revise and repeat as necessary. Don’t ruin your first impression with a stupid mistake.

Cover Letter Tip 3

Try your best to address the cover letter to an actual person , rather than “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To Whom It May Concern.” Addressing the letter to a specific person makes it more personal, and more likely to be read than placed in a pile in the HR office (or worse, stashed in a computer file, and out of physical sight).

You may be able to find out the name of the person who will be reading your cover letter by checking the job posting, asking the person who told you about the position or contacting the company’s HR department.

Cover Letter Tip 4

To begin the body of your cover letter, the first paragraph should detail what position you are applying for and how you learned of the opportunity.

Briefly explain how your skills and background make you a qualified candidate for the position. Express your enthusiasm for the company and why you are interested in the position.

Cover Letter Tip 5

In the opening paragraph, don’t be afraid to mention someone you know at the company who may be able to act as a personal or professional reference, especially if you learned of the job opportunity through this person.

Be sure to ask your contact if it’s all right to drop his or her name in the letter, and if so, keep the explanation of your relationship concise (i.e. I learned of the opportunity through a former colleague John Doe, the current vice-president of communications) . This will allow your reader to contact the person for a reference if desired.

It always helps to know someone on the inside, and a good referral (with a solid resume and cover letter) often leads to an interview.

Cover Letter Tip 6

In the second paragraph, explain how you meet the required skills and qualifications of the position . Utilize the job description and company profile provided in the posting or by the person who informed you of the opportunity. Elaborate on points in your resume, but don’t be repetitive.

Some companies use software that searches for specific keywords within your cover letter (and resume) to discover the applicants with the most desired skills — and weed out those without them.

Reading the job posting carefully will allow you to pick and choose keywords and phrases used by the company, which will garner your cover letter more hits and improve the chances that a human being will read your letter, and not just a computer system.

Cover Letter Tip 7

Conclude the letter with a thank you and express your interest in hearing from the reader soon regarding the status of your application. Communicate the best way to reach you, by phone or email.

If mailing the cover letter, sign and type your full name. If emailing, the likely method, you may send the cover letter in the body of the email or in an attachment. Use simple text and remove the formatting when sending the letter in the email’s body.

Always review the job posting carefully for directions on the preferred method of submitting your application materials. In the email’s subject line, include your full name and the position for which you are applying.

Last Thoughts

Now that you’ve written and revised your cover letter, and just clicked “Send,” give the employer at least two weeks to reply . Companies often receive dozens, even hundreds, of cover letters for one position and may not respond for weeks, months or at all.

If a good amount of time passes, and the employer hasn’t responded to one or more follow up emails, it’s likely that the company is not interested. Just don’t get down on yourself.

There is a multitude of reasons why the employer may not have contacted you (a subpar cover letter may or may not be a factor). Try to improve your cover letter, and sell yourself better next time.

On the other hand, if you follow these tips, you may end up getting a call for an interview and find out your cover letter was pretty kick-ass after all.

Also, check out our in-depth guide with many cover letter examples .

Also, enjoy this funny cover letter from Reddit. 50/50 on whether it’s real, but who cares.

Pamela Skillings

Turn interviews into offers

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Best Resume Writer , Cover Letters

1 cover letter secret that will guarantee you interviews.

Let me cover the first question I often hear about cover letters before we go into tips for writing one: do you need to write a cover letter to apply for a job? Yes. Yes. Yes. Even if the job description doesn’t specifically ask for one, you need to write a cover letter to accompany your job application.

How to write a cover letter is the next question that almost always comes up during a job search, no matter how many cover letters you have written in the past. It seems that figuring out how to write a cover letter is a tough task—perhaps even more difficult than writing a resume for some people.

So is there a cover letter secret that can guarantee you will get an interview whenever you are applying with a prospective employer? I know of one magical key to include when you write a cover letter that can increase your chances of getting interviews by 50%.

What is it? Take a look at the cover letter guide below that you can use to write a great cover letter for hiring managers. By following this guide to writing a cover letter, you’ll attract the attention of the employer and have an effective cover letter that will increase your chance of getting an interview.

Writing Your Cover Letter: Asking for the Interview

It seems like asking the hiring manager for the interview would be common sense, but how many job seekers actually ask for the interview when writing a great cover letter? I’m not suggesting that you ask for the interview in the opening paragraph, but including an interview ask is important for having a good cover letter that also stands out. Including the ask isn’t considered rude, forward, or overly direct either! It’s simply asking for what you want—which in this case happens to be an interview. Why else would you be submitting a resume and cover letter?

There are several ways that you can appropriately include the ask, and below I’ll include some specific cover letter examples that you can revise to include when writing cover letters yourself. The important key to remember is to ask for the interview—and the best place to do so is in the closing paragraph at the bottom of your cover letter. This way, the reader will see it and notice it even if they are just skimming the letter.

Close your cover letter by sharing your interest and excitement about the position; use the position title exactly as listed in the job description, and then ask to meet the employer, hiring manager, or person in charge of hiring—in person. Go a step further by providing a phone number where they can reach you directly, and even your email address. You may have included this at the top of your resume already, but it doesn’t hurt to make your contact information as easily accessible as possible to a prospective employer.

By simply ASKING for the interview, you’ve already doubled the chances that you’ll get a call for one. You’re not only showing your direct interest in the position, you’re also showing that you have the communication skills to directly address the issue. If you follow up with the employer within a week to two weeks after submitting your resume and cover letter, you’ll increase your likelihood of an interview with the hiring manager by another substantial percentage.

Cover Letter Writing Examples

Here are a few examples of the various ways you can ask for the job interview:

I’m excited about the Marketing Director position with ABC Inc. and would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you in person regarding my experience, skills, accomplishments, and the specific value I can add to your team. Please call me at 555.555.5555 to schedule a personal interview at your convenience.

The Marketing Director position is a perfect fit for my background. I would love the opportunity to meet in person to discuss how my experience and qualifications can add value to ABC’s team. Please call me at 555.555.5555 to schedule an interview at your earliest convenience.

I’m very interested in the Marketing Director role with ABC, Inc. I believe my 10+ years of marketing experience with XYZ makes me the perfect candidate for this position. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet in person to discuss how I can make a positive impact on your bottom line. Please call me at 555.555.5555 or email me at MarketingDirectorStar@email.com to schedule an interview. I will follow up in one week to confirm your receipt of my cover letter and resume and to discuss a time and date for the interview.

My ability to rapidly deliver bottom-line results of 25%+ only adds to the value I can offer ABC, Inc. I would like to discuss these specific results and the many others I can offer you in a personal interview. I will follow up with a call on Tuesday to discuss a time and date we can meet to further explain the value I can bring to ABC, Inc.

Double your chances for the job interview by ASKING for it and then be sure to follow up with the employer if you’ve stated you will do so in your cover letter. It couldn’t hurt to follow up anyway one or two weeks after submitting it to ensure receipt of your resume and cover letter.

Cover Letter Writing Tips

Here are a few additional relevant tips for preparing your cover letter and resume:

– There are different types of cover letters —there are networking letters, academic cover letters, application cover letters, value proposition letters, recruiter cover letters, and a type of teaching statement or statement of interest in a potential employer.

– Cover letters need to be free of grammar errors and spelling errors. I would also advise you to avoid using Times New Roman font. It’s very overused. You can choose a different type of font when writing your cover letter.

– Cover letters are great places to address transferable skills if you’re wanting to make a career transition. You can discuss the position description and how your relevant skills and work experience are a great fit for the opening and position requirements.

– When writing about your skills and experience, use action verbs for an effective cover letter. Action verbs always work better for getting attention than dull clichés and lists of common job responsibilities or duties.

– Avoid using a cover letter template. (Ditto for a resume template.) If you go online to look for how to write a cover letter and you copy and paste the content from an online cover letter template, the human resources person scanning your cover letter will know it’s a template. Employers see them all the time and they all start the same: “To Whom It May Concern… I’m applying to your opening for a career counselor.” Or, “Dear Hiring Manager: I saw on Monster.com you’re hiring a career counselor with 10 years’ experience… Please accept this application…” Use a sample cover letter to guide your writing, but don’t just “Mad Lib” a cover letter by filling in the blanks with your information.

– Instead of starting your cover letter with “To Whom It May Concern,” an effective cover letter will start with the hiring manager or prospective employer’s name. Do your research on social media, LinkedIn, or the company website. Research is a very important part of having an effective cover letter.

– A great candidate with solid skills can write a strong cover letter by starting off with an intriguing rhetorical question. An example might be: “Do you need a digital marketer who can double or triple your website conversion rate?”

I can guarantee you that an opening paragraph with a question like that will definitely pique interest with an employer—especially when you end your cover letter with an appropriately strong ask for an interview.

Need a quick-start guide for adding high-impact words and action verbs to your cover letter and resume? Download your FREE PDF guide here it includes 178 action verbs and high-impact words you can use to improve your resume right now.

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About the author

Jessica hernandez, president, ceo & founder of great resumes fast.

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

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I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

53 Comments

I’ve been advising my clients to let potential employers take the next step, i.e. not to wrap up with lines like “I will follow up with a call on Tuesday to discuss a time and date we can meet…” – isn’t it the employer’s turn to take the next step in the process? This kind of “here’s what I’m going to do next, I’m going to contact you again” strikes me as pushy if not stalk-y.

[…] You can ask for the interview. Asking for the interview increases your chance of getting a call for an interview by somewhere around 50% (I’ve read several different stats about the actual percentage being between 50%-75%, so I’ll go on the conservative side and say it will increase your chances by 50%).  I’m not mathematician, but if there’s a 50% chance they’ll call—and a 50% chance they won’t call you—and then asking for the interview increases your chances of being called even more, doesn’t that mean that now there’s a 75% chance they’ll call and only a 25% chance they won’t? I don’t know about you, but I’d want to up my response rate and results by asking for the interview. Want to know more about how to ask for the interview and exactly what to say? Check out this article for more information. […]

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[…] While keeping all these great little tips in mind, it’s also pertinent to remember that the shorter your cover letter, the better. I recommend going through the steps above to write your cover letter and then going back through it, eliminating any superfluous words or any statements that might come off as canned or “from a template”. Doing so should cut back on any wordiness and shorten the length. Use bullets if/when you can, and when you close your cover letter, don’t forget to state your interest and give them a place where they can find out more about you—your LinkedIn profile, professional blog, or website, etc. Direct them to somewhere they can learn more. A couple of additional cover letter writing tips: – Make sure you proofread your cover letter so that it will not contain spelling errors or grammar errors. – Remember to explain your interest in the position. Be specific about why you are the candidate for the job. – Employers will judge your writing skills by how well-written your cover letter is so be sure to write clearly. – Times new roman is the most overused font in resumes and cover letters. Try to use a different font for a more unique cover letter. – If you are making a career transition make sure that you include transferable skills in your cover letter and elaborate on the connection between them and the position. Use the position description to help you make those connections. – You can include accomplishments in your cover letter just don’t go overboard or write them word-for-word from your resume. – Avoid using a cover letter template if you want a unique cover letter. Effective cover letters are not copies of cover letter templates you found on the internet. – Include action verbs when possible and avoid passive language. My hope is that these tips will help ease the cover letter writing burden for you this year as you launch your 2015 job search. I’d love to hear your favorite tips for a successful cover letter and those you think that will be the most effective in 2015. Here are a few more cover letter articles to help: 1 Cover Letter Secret that will Guarantee Your Interviews […]

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Jessica, I strongly disagree with your advice to not use Times New Roman. The reason it seems overused is because it’s a classic, professional business standard. It communicates to your employer-to-be that you understand how to prepare a formal business letter and communicate in a professional manner. If you don’t like TNR, though, there are several other font choices that can make your letter more personalized, but these are restricted to conservative serif fonts like Cambria. Don’t send a cover letter in a “fun” font like Impact or Comic Sans, and only use a sans-serif font like Arial for the body of an email (which should never take the place of a proper cover letter)!

REGARDING TELECONFERENCE Dear madam I resisted telephone interview so the manager told me that he will send the e-mail but still I didn’t get any reply please tell me what should I do Thanks you mam Sisira

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How to Write a Cover Letter That Will Get You a Job

I’ve read thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of cover letters in my career. If you’re thinking that sounds like really boring reading, you’re right. What I can tell you from enduring that experience is that most cover letters are terrible — and not only that, but squandered opportunities. When a cover letter is done well, it can significantly increase your chances of getting an interview, but the vast majority fail that test.

So let’s talk about how to do cover letters right.

1. First, understand the point of a cover letter.

The whole idea of a cover letter is that it can help the employer see you as more than just your résumé. Managers generally aren’t hiring based solely on your work history; your experience is crucial, yes, but they’re also looking for someone who will be easy to work with, shows good judgment, communicates well, possesses strong critical thinking skills and a drive to get things done, complements their current team, and all the other things you yourself probably want from your co-workers. It’s tough to learn much about those things from job history alone, and that’s where your cover letter comes in.

Because of that …

2. Whatever you do, don’t just summarize your résumé.

The No. 1 mistake people make with cover letters is that they simply use them to summarize their résumé. This makes no sense — hiring managers don’t need a summary of your résumé! It’s on the very next page! They’re about to see it as soon as they scroll down. And if you think about it, your entire application is only a few pages (in most cases, a one- or two-page résumé and a one-page cover letter) — why would you squander one of those pages by repeating the content of the others? And yet, probably 95 percent of the cover letters I see don’t add anything new beyond the résumé itself (and that’s a conservative estimate).

Instead, your cover letter should go beyond your work history to talk about things that make you especially well-suited for the job. For example, if you’re applying for an assistant job that requires being highly organized and you neurotically track your household finances in a detailed, color-coded spreadsheet, most hiring managers would love to know that because it says something about the kind of attention to detail you’d bring to the job. That’s not something you could put on your résumé, but it can go in your cover letter.

Or maybe your last boss told you that you were the most accurate data processor she’d ever seen, or came to rely on you as her go-to person whenever a lightning-fast rewrite was needed. Maybe your co-workers called you “the client whisperer” because of your skill in calming upset clients. Maybe you’re regularly sought out by more senior staff to help problem-solve, or you find immense satisfaction in bringing order to chaos. Those sorts of details illustrate what you bring to the job in a different way than your résumé does, and they belong in your cover letter.

If you’re still stumped, pretend you’re writing an email to a friend about why you’d be great at the job. You probably wouldn’t do that by stiffly reciting your work history, right? You’d talk about what you’re good at and how you’d approach the work. That’s what you want here.

3. You don’t need a creative opening line.

If you think you need to open the letter with something creative or catchy, I am here to tell you that you don’t. Just be simple and straightforward:

• “I’m writing to apply for your X position.”

• “I’d love to be considered for your X position.”

• “I’m interested in your X position because …”

• “I’m excited to apply for your X position.”

That’s it! Straightforward is fine — better, even, if the alternative is sounding like an aggressive salesperson.

4. Show, don’t tell.

A lot of cover letters assert that the person who wrote it would excel at the job or announce that the applicant is a skillful engineer or a great communicator or all sorts of other subjective superlatives. That’s wasted space — the hiring manager has no reason to believe it, and so many candidates claim those things about themselves that most managers ignore that sort of self-assessment entirely. So instead of simply declaring that you’re great at X (whatever X is), your letter should demonstrate that. And the way you do that is by describing accomplishments and experiences that illustrate it.

Here’s a concrete example taken from one extraordinarily effective cover-letter makeover that I saw. The candidate had originally written, “I offer exceptional attention to detail, highly developed communication skills, and a talent for managing complex projects with a demonstrated ability to prioritize and multitask.” That’s pretty boring and not especially convincing, right? (This is also exactly how most people’s cover letters read.)

In her revised version, she wrote this instead:

“In addition to being flexible and responsive, I’m also a fanatic for details — particularly when it comes to presentation. One of my recent projects involved coordinating a 200-page grant proposal: I proofed and edited the narratives provided by the division head, formatted spreadsheets, and generally made sure that every line was letter-perfect and that the entire finished product conformed to the specific guidelines of the RFP. (The result? A five-year, $1.5 million grant award.) I believe in applying this same level of attention to detail to tasks as visible as prepping the materials for a top-level meeting and as mundane as making sure the copier never runs out of paper.”

That second version is so much more compelling and interesting — and makes me believe that she really is great with details.

5. If there’s anything unusual or confusing about your candidacy, address it in the letter.

Your cover letter is your chance to provide context for things that otherwise might seem confusing or less than ideal to a hiring manager. For example, if you’re overqualified for the position but are excited about it anyway, or if you’re a bit underqualified but have reason to think you could excel at the job, address that up front. Or if your background is in a different field but you’re actively working to move into this one, say so, talk about why, and explain how your experience will translate. Or if you’re applying for a job across the country from where you live because you’re hoping to relocate to be closer to your family, let them know that.

If you don’t provide that kind of context, it’s too easy for a hiring manager to decide you’re the wrong fit or applying to everything you see or don’t understand the job description and put you in the “no” pile. A cover letter gives you a chance to say, “No, wait — here’s why this could be a good match.”

6. Keep the tone warm and conversational.

While there are some industries that prize formal-sounding cover letters — like law — in most fields, yours will stand out if it’s warm and conversational. Aim for the tone you’d use if you were writing to a co-worker whom you liked a lot but didn’t know especially well. It’s okay to show some personality or even use humor; as long as you don’t go overboard, your letter will be stronger for it.

7. Don’t use a form letter.

You don’t need to write every cover letter completely from scratch, but if you’re not customizing it to each job, you’re doing it wrong. Form letters tend to read like form letters, and they waste the chance to speak to the specifics of what this employer is looking for and what it will take to thrive in this particular job.

If you’re applying for a lot of similar jobs, of course you’ll end up reusing language from one letter to the next. But you shouldn’t have a single cover letter that you wrote once and then use every time you apply; whatever you send should sound like you wrote it with the nuances of this one job in mind.

A good litmus test is this: Could you imagine other applicants for this job sending in the same letter? If so, that’s a sign that you haven’t made it individualized enough to you and are probably leaning too heavily on reciting your work history.

8. No, you don’t need to hunt down the hiring manager’s name.

If you read much job-search advice, at some point you’ll come across the idea that you need to do Woodward and Bernstein–level research to hunt down the hiring manager’s name in order to open your letter with “Dear Matilda Jones.” You don’t need to do this; no reasonable hiring manager will care. If the name is easily available, by all means, feel free to use it, but otherwise “Dear Hiring Manager” is absolutely fine. Take the hour you just freed up and do something more enjoyable with it.

9. Keep it under one page.

If your cover letters are longer than a page, you’re writing too much, and you risk annoying hiring managers who are likely sifting through hundreds of applications and don’t have time to read lengthy tomes. On the other hand, if you only write one paragraph, it’s unlikely that you’re making a compelling case for yourself as a candidate — not impossible, but unlikely. For most people, something close to a page is about right.

10. Don’t agonize over the small details.

What matters most about your cover letter is its content. You should of course ensure that it’s well-written and thoroughly proofread, but many job seekers agonize over elements of the letter that really don’t matter. I get tons of  questions from job seekers  about whether they should attach their cover letter or put it in the body of the email (answer: No one cares, but attaching it makes it easier to share and will preserve your formatting), or what to name the file (again, no one really cares as long as it’s reasonably professional, but when people are dealing with hundreds of files named “resume,” it’s courteous to name it with your full name).

Approaching your cover letter like this can make a huge difference in your job search. It can be the thing that moves your application from the “maybe” pile (or even the “no” pile) to the “yes” pile. Of course, writing cover letters like this will take more time than sending out the same templated letter summarizing your résumé — but 10 personalized, compelling cover letters are likely to get you more  interview invitations  than 50 generic ones will.

Find even more career advice from Alison Green on her website,  Ask a Manager . Got a question for her? Email  [email protected] .

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The Best Questions To Ask in a Job Interview

Research the Opportunity

Inquire about the company, clarify details about the job, clarify next steps, frequently asked questions about what to ask in an interview.

Asking questions in an interview gives you key insights and shows your interest in the opportunity. But you may be unsure what questions to ask or in what order.

The following guide can help. Read on for:

• Sources you can use to research the job and generate targeted questions
• Examples of great questions to ask in a job interview
• Tips on deepening your discussion with the hiring manager

Your best interview questions will spring from any research you can do about the job and company beforehand. As time allows, prepare for each interview by closely reviewing these sources:

• The job posting
• The “About” page of the company’s website (as well as any parent company)
• Any other relevant pages on the company’s website. These may include the main “Careers” page, which often has good general information on the advantages of working for the company. Key pages may also include a recent press release about a product launch or the home page for the team or department where you’d work.
• Recent news articles about the company. Search in Google’s “News” tab, where you can specify a current date range by clicking the “Tools” button.
• Business websites and publications like Bloomberg , Barron’s , Yahoo Finance , Financial Times , and the Wall Street Journal . These sites have individual pages and news updates for many midsize and large companies. (For any publications you don’t subscribe to that have paywalls, you may still be able to access full-text articles via your local library.)
• Value Line reports on recent company mergers and developments. Ask your local library if it offers access to this paid resource.
• General information about the company’s industry, sector, or products if you aren’t already familiar with them. When researching topics online, remember Wikipedia pages are unverified information, so you shouldn’t rely on them exclusively. But Wikipedia is often a great portal to official outside links and information.

Note: Also consider reviewing publicly available details about your interviewer, such as their bio on the company’s website or LinkedIn profile.

Reviewing information from the above sources, highlight anything that sparks your curiosity. Jot down a related question to ask during the interview.

For example, say you’re interviewing for an outside sales job. Through your research, you find a press release announcing that the company is working on an innovative new product category. But it’s unclear when the product will be officially launched or available to customers. You could ask:

• I was intrigued to learn your team will be selling the [name] product class soon. Do you know when your company’s version will be hitting the market?

In addition to your research-backed questions, ask about an employer’s overall work culture and goals. This is often a great line of questioning toward the end of the interview. It places the job in context and shows you’re invested in the overall success of an organization. Also, it lets the interviewer give you more of their personal perspective, taking the conversation beyond the scope of detail in the job posting. Consider asking one or more of these questions:

• How would you describe the company’s work culture?
• Why do people enjoy working here? Why do you personally like working here?
• How does the organization define success and evaluate employee performance?
• What is the company’s core mission, and why? Do certain values or principles inform that mission?
• How does the company define or distinguish itself from competitors?
• What is the company’s overall strategy for staff training and professional development?
• How does the organization incorporate ideas and requests from employees at different levels?
• Does the company have a particular method for new product development and project management?
• What is the management team’s leadership approach or philosophy?
• How has the organization evolved during your tenure? What broad changes have you seen?
• Where do you see the company headed in the short and long term? Are there broad changes underway that would affect my position?

If some of these questions seem forward, remember the basic purpose of a job interview: to figure out if you and the hiring company are a good fit. So you’ll need to answer the interviewer’s questions about your background. But it also means the interviewer will need to answer your questions about what it’s like to work there. Only by this two-way understanding can you each make a decision in everyone’s best interest.

Before each interview, jot down any remaining questions you have on the job itself. These will help you fill any information gaps on the job posting, giving you a clear sense of what the role entails. For example:

• What does a typical workday look like for this position? Is there wide variation or a strong sense of routine?
• What is the biggest or most frequent challenge for this position?
• How is success in the position measured? What performance metrics are most closely evaluated by management?
• Does the workflow tend to fluctuate annually or seasonally?
• What is the expected or required ratio of time working at the office versus from home? (Note: When asking this question, emphasize your flexibility for different work schedules.)
• Who does the position report to directly and indirectly? What is the expected level of contact or collaboration?
• Is the role more independent or collaborative? If the latter, which team members or departments would I partner with most?

Always view these questions in light of your research and frame them accordingly. Below are two examples of how you could phrase a question in the context of research you’ve done:

• In looking over your corporate website, I was struck by your expansion to five new markets in the past three years. Is that the biggest change in your time with the company so far?
• I saw on the careers page that your company has a quarterly plan for formal staff training and development. Can you tell me more about how this plan works and how it applies to this department’s schedule?

At the end of your interview, inquire about next steps in the hiring process. Questions in this vein may include:

• What is the timeframe for the next stage of hiring? If I’m selected, would there be another round of interviews?
• Should I plan on hearing from you directly or from someone else once a decision has been made?
• Should I expect to hear by phone or email? (But emphasize you’re flexible in this regard. Confirm the interviewer has your right contact information and knows the best times to reach you.)

What if the interviewer already answered most of my questions? -

Tell them so. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions for them, say something like, “I had some areas I was hoping to clarify, but we’ve covered most of them.” This type of comment is a courteous way to show the interviewer you were listening and the information they shared was helpful.

How can I deepen the interview discussion? -

Any question you ask is a yes/no, who, what, when, where, why, or how. Keep in mind “why” and “how” tend to open and enrich a conversation, while the others usually just provide facts and context.

For example, you could ask the interviewer when and where the company started. But when they answer plainly (“I believe the company was founded in Buffalo in the mid-1970s.”), the conversation may seem at a dead end. A more interesting way to learn from and engage with the interviewer is to ask them how the company has grown or evolved or why it’s been successful in its market.

What questions should I avoid asking? -

Any that are already answered in the job posting. When you ask for information the employer already provided, it tells them you haven’t fully prepared, and your interest in the position may be limited. To avoid this pitfall, closely review the job posting one more time right before each interview.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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• How to Organize Your Job Search Learn More
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How to write a cover letter that gets you a job interview.

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The point of a cover letter is to help a recruiter or hiring manager get to know you a bit better. Think of your resume as an outline of your career, and the cover letter as the description. A cover letter offers your future employer a deeper insight into who you are beyond your work history and credentials. It complements your resume and allows you to elaborate on your expertise, skills, and strengths. When you write a strong cover letter, you’re showing your future employer that you’re the person they’re looking for. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to write a strong cover letter.

Don’t reiterate your entire resume.

You want to include highlights from your resume that are the most relevant to the position you’re applying to, not recap your entire work history. The cover letter is the place to showcase your best strengths and elaborate on the work skills you’ve listed on your resume.

Use specific figures to quantify results.

Whenever possible, use specific figures when you’re talking about your accomplishments. Quantifiable results are much more powerful than broad statements. When talking about results you should include a percentage, a timeframe, and an action. For example, ‘Increased sales by 28% in six months by installing and using a new database and client management system.’

Include examples.

Just like adding quantifiers, examples make a much greater impact. Don’t just say that you are great at data management, illustrate it. Elaborate on how you use your data management skills and the results that you’ve achieved by using those skills. The point isn’t to just say that you’re good at something, it’s to show how you’re good at it.

Highlight your soft skills.

Soft skills such as communication, problem solving, and creative thinking are extremely valuable and desirable to employers. These soft skills are harder to highlight in your resume, so the cover letter is the place for you to showcase them. Mention the skills that are your strengths in your cover letter and use examples to back them up.

Explain gaps in your work history.

Your cover letter can provide a deeper insight into your job history. If you have gaps in your work history, you can offer a brief explanation why. If you went back to school, explain that you made that choice to gain deeper knowledge. If you were away from the workforce for an extended period of time, explain the real-world skills you learned in that time that are relevant to the position you’re applying to. Keep this brief, your cover letter shouldn’t be a biography.

Match the tone of your writing to the company culture.

If you’re applying to a corporate job, your cover letter should be more formal than if you’re applying to a startup. Get a feel for the company culture by reading the tone of the job posting and researching the company online. Match the level of formality of the job to the formality of your cover letter. It’s a subtle way to show the person reading it that you’ve done your homework and you understand what they’re looking for.

Personalize it.

Your cover letter should be addressed to the hiring manager by name whenever possible. If it’s not readily available, a few minutes of googling or searching LinkedIn should uncover it. If you can’t find it, then address the cover letter to ‘Hiring Manager at (name of company)’.

Customize it.

There’s nothing worse than a cover letter that’s clearly been copy and pasted without any customization to the job you’re applying to. To save yourself time, create or use a form or template to use as an outline that you can customize. Make sure to include the position your applying for as well as the name of the company. Use bullet points from the job application to highlight your relevant skills or experience.

Use spell check and grammar check.

There’s no excuse to send a cover letter, or any document for that matter, that has spelling and grammatical errors. Running spell check takes 30 seconds, so make it a habit to run it before you send both your cover letter and your resume.

Even if a cover letter isn’t required, it’s worth submitting one anyway. There’s no harm in sending over an extra attachment, and it might even help boost your chances of getting an interview. If nothing else, it’s practice in pitching your strengths, a skill you can use in your job interviews.

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5 essential tips for interviewers

By margot baker ecornell.

A company’s success is closely tied to the quality of its employees, but a flawed interview process can disrupt this balance and undermine overall performance. JR Keller, associate professor of human resource studies at the Cornell ILR School, identified five key strategies to conduct better interviews that lead to more effective hiring.

1. Reduce the candidate’s anxiety.

According to a 2020 survey conducted by JDP, 93% of Americans reported experiencing interview-related anxiety, with 29% ranking interviews more nerve-wracking than a first date or doctor appointment. To ease this tension, Keller recommends clearly communicating with a job applicant well before their interview.

Disclosing who will participate in the interview is beneficial as it allows interviewees to look up their interviewer on LinkedIn. Likewise, telling prospective employees the interview timeframe and whether it will be in person, over the phone or on a platform such as Zoom helps them prepare better and manage their expectations.

Read more on the eCornell blog .

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