THE BILINGUAL JOB FAIR BLOG

Cover Letter Tips: Sending a Cover Letter E-mail

September 25, 2009

Question: The company I want to work for has a bilingual customer service position open and that they need someone who speaks Spanish. I am totally fluent and the job description is exactly what I am looking for! The job post instructs candidates to apply by e-mail.  Do I need a cover letter when applying this way?  Is it less formal?  Or should I just send over my resume?

Answer: Yes, you need to send an email in place of a formal cover letter! Your e-mail should enlighten the reader to the same points and should be just as well-written as a formal cover letter. (For tips on writing a formal cover letter that showcases your bilingual skills, read this post, this post and this post.)  Your goal is the same:  get the employer to be intrigued by you and to eagerly read your resume. What you have to say in this e-mail can be the deciding factor between you and an equally qualified candidate who might be the next resume in line.

Don’t just send your resume! The cover letter e-mail reveals much more to the employer than a resume alone does.  The resume tells your history, your experience, and your past achievements.  The cover letter e-mail provides you the opportunity to pinpoint how you can use all of this experience to fulfill what this company needs and to meet their goals.  It should confirm that you are the right person for the job; the one person they have been looking for.

Check back for tips for writing a cover letter e-mail.

Filed under: Resumes & Letters

Tags: bilingual skills, cover letter, cover letter tips, Job Hunting, job search, letter format tips