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CENTRE NATIONAL DE L'ORIENTATION SCOLAIRE ET PROFESSIONNELLE (CNOSP) Search form Search The cover letter: the basic rules This is the essential complement to the curriculum vitae! Explaining your motivation in a few lines is not easy. But exercise can be crucial to getting a job interview. First steps. "The cover letter is intended to trigger the desire to see the candidate. We must avoid the ready-made sentences saying that we are dynamic and motivated," warns Janine Lepinay, volunteer in the employment service of the local mission of the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Paris. It must be alive and adapted to each application - whether one responds to an announcement or not. And by e-mail? In general, the cover letter is in the body of the email, and the CV is sent as an attachment. But the rules remain the same: do not neglect either the presentation or the spelling. Present your situation and your motivation To begin, you can present in 1 sentence your professional situation, your major assets and your objectives. Be sincere: your cover letter should be in line with your personality. Then evoke 1 or 2 specific aspects of the company in connection with your profile: its activities, projects or customers... Being interested in it is proof of your motivation and skills. "We have to show that we know how to adapt: we learned about the company and prepared ourselves accordingly. The candidate must know what he is talking about, with an adapted hook like "I learned such news about your company" or "I read such interview of you", notes Jean-François Lelandais, director of recruitment and careers at AFD Tech. Then connect with your skills: what will you bring to the employer if they hire you? What are your qualities useful to the position? Without repeating the CV, value a moment of your journey, proving that you have understood the needs of the employer. You can share an experience that has made you progress, so that we can identify your strengths and understand why this position fits logically into your career. Prioritize a concrete, quantified and chosen example and, if possible, a common point with the targeted position. To be avoided: fuzzy formulas and the "me, I". "If your background doesn't quite fit with the job or you don't yet have enough experience, highlight the qualities that you've demonstrated in your other experiences and may need in your future missions," Lepinay adds. Interview The conclusion of the letter? Indicate that one is available for an interview, ending with a standard politeness formula. Nothing convoluted but rather "Please accept my most respectful greetings" or "Waiting for your return, I remain at your disposal. Kind regards." In an email: simplicity, authenticity type "cordially" or " cordially", proposes Jean-François Lelandais. A clumsy layout, many spelling mistakes are so many risks to be recalibrated! Take the time to reread yourself, check the clarity of your arguments, but also syntax, grammar and spelling. Care for the form by airing your paragraphs well and prefer short sentences. "The layout is essential! We need structure, alignment. This demonstrates the rigor of the candidate but also the famous "Microsoft mastery" that is often found on the CV," says Jean-François Lelandais. 5 essential points of the short cover letter. Nothing is more discouraging to a recruiter than a long letter. Limiting yourself to one page is recommended. Avoid repetitions and spelling errors. And this, especially thanks to automatic proofreaders, a replay the next day or, better yet, thanks to someone else's remarks. Be clear and complete. Be careful not to delete essential elements throughout your different versions. Do not forget to specify the position - the reference of the ad if there is one - that you are aiming for, but also all your

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