You are ready to start looking for a job in Israel, you wrote the perfect customized resume for your internship in Israel. You included your work experience, your volunteer work, and where you studied. You’ve had a friend go over it and you are ready to send it to potential employers. But before you send it out you need a great cover letter to express a bit more about what you are looking for and why you are a good fit for the position at the chosen company. This is also the case when applying for an internship through Career Israel.
Let’s review what a cover letter is all about:
What’s a Cover Letter?
A one-page document submitted with your job application and your resume. In it, you should entice the reader with a summary of your professional background, personal expression and an explanation of your connection to the job opening. Don’t forget, this is a supplement to your resume, not a replacement.
Recommended format for a cover letter:
- Header with your contact information
- Short personalized greeting
- The first paragraph should include your top achievements
- The second paragraph explains why you are a great candidate for this specific position
- The third paragraph is why you are a good match for the company
- Closing and summary
How to write a cover letter?
Choose the appropriate format that you feel comfortable with. There are a few acceptable formats that have worked for years. Do a quick online search and choose one, this is not the most crucial part of the letter.
The Header:
Include the basics: Full name, phone number, email, date, who the letter is intended for, name of the company you are applying to.
Also, consider the following:
- Social media profiles of professional profiles such as LinkedIn. Add this if it will provide positive and supporting information to your resume.
- Personal website. If you have your own site that includes information or projects that add value to your application, go ahead and add it.
Professional tip – find out the hiring manager’s full name so you can greet them respectfully and personally.
The Introduction
First impressions are crucial during this process since there are usually many candidates competing for the same position. Recruiters are looking for candidates, that will stand out through their cover letter. This is your opportunity to grab their attention.
Start with your top achievements, personal and professional, add the ones that show what a great candidate you are but are also relevant to the position you are applying for.
The Body of the Letter
This includes an explanation of why you are perfect for the job and why you are a good fit for the company.
This is where you show off your professional skills and convince the HR manager that you’re a better fit for the job than all the other applicants.
First things first – before you even write anything, figure out what you need to learn and what the most important requirements and responsibilities are for the role you are applying for. Discuss how you fulfill these requirements.
Now, why are you a good fit for the company:
The recruiter always looks for someone that is a good fit for the company – the culture, the atmosphere, and the people. People that eventually do not fit the company, cost the company a lot of money. You need to convince the recipient of the cover letter why you are both passionate about the company and why you can do your job really well. Yes, the HR manager can figure this out for themselves, but it is your job to make it easier for them.
How do you do this?
- Learn about the company’s business model
- What are the company’s services and products?
- What is the organizational model? What’s the culture like? Autonomy vs micro-management?
You should be able to find this information online but if you cannot find this, ask your Career Israel Placement Specialist for assistance.
Conclusion
- Summarize any points you couldn’t make in the previous paragraphs. Add any information that will help the hiring manager make a positive decision.
- Thank the reader for their time in a courteous manner.
- Don’t sound desperate.
- End it with a call to action.
A formal closing such as Best Regards, Kind Regards, Yours sincerely or Thank You work best.
That’s it! You are ready! – you’ve done the research, you’ve summarized your thoughts, and you put it all on paper.
You got this! Good Luck!
