Short Cover Letter Sample (With Helpful Steps and Tips)

A cover letter is a great way to introduce yourself to potential employers along with submitting your resume. Short cover letters are often better than the standard 500-word cover letters as they quickly get the attention of recruiters or hiring managers. Knowing how to write quality short cover letters can help you apply to different kinds of jobs more effectively. In this article, we examine short cover letter samples and discuss how to write them.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

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Why Use A Short Cover Letter Sample?

A short cover letter sample lets your potential employer know more about your skills and expertise before they look at your resume. A recruiter usually goes through several job applications before short-listing candidates for an interview. So, it is important to send in a cover letter that helps your potential employer learn about your personality, goals and values, in addition to your skills.

A short cover letter has two main benefits over traditional cover letters:

• Saves time: Recruiters prefer to go through applications quickly. They may discard a well-written cover letter just for its length.

• Gets attention: When you have fewer words to express yourself, you tend to provide precise information to the reader. A short cover letter can quickly showcase your skills to the recruiter by giving them the right amount of information that they are looking for in the ideal candidate.

How To Write A Short Cover Letter?

Follow these steps to write a short cover letter:

1. Begin with a header. If the job description provides the name of the recruiter, mention it here, along with the company's address. You may skip this step if you are sending your cover letter through an email.

2. Greet the recruiter. Keep your greeting strictly professional and it is ideal to use 'Dear' and the recruiter's surname. For example, if the recruiter's name is Mahesh Gupta, write your greeting statement as 'Dear Mr Gupta.'

3. Introduce yourself. The first two lines after the greeting are about introducing yourself. Mention the role you are applying for, along with a brief overview of the most noteworthy accomplishment in your career.

4. Mention your qualifications. The next paragraph is about discussing your skills and experiences and you can write about your accomplishments in your previous jobs. If you are a fresher, discuss briefly any projects you undertook while at your last educational institution.

5. Discuss your goals. Add one or two short sentences about why you want to join the organisation. Show how you can link your values and long-term career goals with the position and the company.

6. Include a call to action. Thank the recruiter for taking out time to read your application. Mention the best way for them to reach you.

7. Sign the letter. End the short cover letter by signing your name and your address if you are posting the letter. If you are sending the cover letter via email, add your professional designation and contact information.

Related: How To Write A Cover Letter

How To Modify Short Cover Letters According To Job Requirements?

Use these methods to modify short cover letters to make them more suitable for a specific job:

1. Decide the right length

A long cover letter typically takes up the whole page. A short cover letter would ideally be half a page or at the most two-thirds of a page. 150 words is an ideal length for a short cover letter and you can make it even shorter. When applying for a job, note whether the recruiter has mentioned any specific word count for a cover letter. If the word count is more suitable for a long cover letter, then follow the instructions and send a long cover letter instead.

2. Research the role

Every job profile mentions an outline of required skills. Beyond the skills, some also look for a specific set of values or experiences. Research the job profile well before beginning your cover letter. It could help your application if you align the contents of your short cover letter with the requirements of the job description. It is also a good idea to prepare a generic short cover letter and keep it ready as a template. You could send it quickly when you are applying for a job that does not have a lot of specific requirements.

Related: How To Write A Cover Letter For An Internal Job Posting

3. Format professionally

A professional cover letter uses a professional font and the text size is between 10.5 and 12. The document also usually has margins of one inch all around. If you are sending your short cover letter via email, save it as a Word document or a PDF file before sending it. This way, you can be certain that the recruiter could open the file without installing any special computer applications.

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Short Cover Letter Samples

Here are some short cover letter samples that could help you understand better how to write one:

Short cover letter for a general application

Here is an example for a short cover letter for a general application:

Dear Ms Sinha,

My name is Shashi and I am looking forward to joining your team as a sales representative because I admire your company's reputation for being customer-centric.

My attached resume outlines my skills and five years of experience in sales. Additionally, I am always eager about speaking with new people and to help them reach their goals. I believe my background would benefit a team that thrives on collaboration and that is why this position is ideal for me.

Thank you for taking the time to go through my application. I look forward to hearing from you to further discuss the sales representative position.

Sincerely,

Shashi Kumar

Vadodara, Gujarat

Short cover letter for a company with no listed openings

Here is an example of a short cover letter for a company with no listed openings:

Dear Mr Dutta,

My name is Shashi and I am highly enthusiastic about your company's mission. I am interested in being a part of your organisation and would love to know about any openings you might have now or in the future.

My attached resume outlines my skills and five years of experience in sales. Additionally, I always look forward to speaking with new people and helping them reach their goals. I believe my background in sales would benefit your operations and your company can immensely help me through my career path as a salesperson.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I look forward to hearing from you to discuss suitable job prospects with your company.

Sincerely,
Shashi Kumar
Vadodara, Gujarat

Short cover letter for a fresher or entry-level job posting

Here is an example of a cover letter for an entry-level job posting:

Dear Ms Patel,

My name is Reema and I am applying for the associate position at your company. As a recent graduate of the University of Mumbai, I believe my business management and finance background would be an asset to your company's mission of providing high-quality advisory services to its customers.

My resume outlines my projects completed at the previous company I worked at during my master's degree programme. Additionally, I am always eager to learn new management skills and hone my accounting abilities. I appreciate that [company's name] provides value to their customers and it would be my honour to join your team and grow my career.

Thank you for taking the time to go through my application. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Reema Ghosh
Mumbai, Maharashtra

Related: How To Write A Cover Letter For A Social Media Manager

Tips To Write A Noticeable Short Cover Letter

Here are some tips to help you write a short cover letter:

• Write a creative opening sentence. Begin your cover letter by creatively showing your interest and enthusiasm for the role. You can mention what you specifically like about the company.

• Give examples of your qualities. Instead of mentioning generic skills such as 'detail-oriented or 'self-starter', give examples of your skills. You can cite an incident from your past experiences that highlights your skills.

• Mention only relevant past experiences. Research the job position you are applying for and be specific about mentioning relevant skills or experiences that match the position even if you had other jobs in the past.

• Keep your sentences concise. Use simple language and short sentences that are easy for the recruiter to read quickly. Writing short sentences is one way to get your application noticed.

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