Prospective employers will be looking at the content, quality and style of your cover letters. First impressions for cover letters are pivotal to making sure your CV will stand out. Jobsnhire wants to help you safeguard your cover letter against mistakes which can lead to your CV ending up in the trash.

Firstly, make sure that you have correct spelling, syntax and grammar. Edit and re-edit your cover letter. If you can get a second opinion and look at your cover letter would be ideal as you may have overlooked errors you made.

The presentation of your cover letter should not be overlooked as a menial feature. Try to limit each paragraph to a maximum of 8 sentences and do not overload your cover letter with paragraphs. Paragraphs which are too long look overbearing and will bog down your reader. Make your cover letter look neat, organized and structured. Use a simple font, such as Times New Roman, Size 12.

Your subject line should be concise, to the point and tailored to the job you are pursuing. Do not forget to enter the competition number or job position which you are searching for.

Before beginning to write, start your cover letter with a salutation, “Dear” _____ (Name of Prospective Employer). If you do not know the name of your prospective employer you may write “To Whom it May Concern:” , subsequently skip a line, indent and state “Good day,” and continue writing your cover letter on the next line. Next, end your cover letter with either a “Sincerely”, “Kind regards”, “Best regards” or “Warm regards,” as to your liking.

Add your signature and a suitable closing. You could close the last paragraph by expressing how much you appreciate the prospective employer considering and taking the time to review your application. Express your gratefulness and say that you look forward to hearing from them soon and that they should feel free to contact you should they have any further questions and subsequently leave your contact information (e-mail and phone number where you can be reached readily at hand).

Your first paragraph should contain a description of where you found the job posting, how you heard about them and then stating your abilities and aptitudes for the job you are seeking. Think of it as a succinct biography and use short and precise sentences.

The second paragraph could be an example of a job which carries experience and values learnt which can be transferred to the prospective employment. Remember to use key words. Express how you anticipate that your skills and experiences will be a substantial contribution to their work and that you look forward to being part of their dynamic team.

Make sure that you know the company or workplace guidelines and work inside out. In addition to describing how your skills and qualities from past volunteer or work experience could enrich your work with and add value to the work they do, intertwine it with a concrete example.

Avoid unessential details such as religious affiliations, children’s names, nationalities or ethnicity unless you know there is a connection with the type of job you will possibly get. Also there is no need for decorative extras, color or photos of yourself (unless asked).