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Teaching Job: How to write a great Cover Letter

    When applying for any teaching job, the cover letter is as important as the resume itself, because it provides the prospective employer with the first impression of you. A good cover letter is essential to let you stand out as an applicant, the question is: How do you write a great Cover Letter?

    How do you format a cover letter?

    The cover letter is just a little more than a single-sentence summary of your best assets as a teacher. It can also in a brief statement to answer immediate questions the recruiter or prospective employer may have by filling gaps on your resume, such as inexperience, or periods of unemployment. The cover letter is the key to getting an invitation to an interview.

    What must the cover letter say?

    A cover letter is usually not very long, consisting of just three short paragraphs, yet detailed enough to provide an accurate picture of your teaching abilities and experience.

    It must be brief, get directly to the point, yet let your personality shine through and raise a sense of curiosity with the reader. It must let the potential employer want to get to know you better, encouraging them to actually look at your resume.

    “The cover letter is a single-sentence summary of your best assets as a teacher, with a sparkling introduction and a call-to-action summary.”

    Eric O. Wesch- Etacude

    It is imperative that each cover letter must be tailored to the specific job for which you’re applying. Experienced HR recruiters and employers can spot a generic cover letter on a mile. It conveys a very negative impression, showing that you are doing bulk applications and are not sincere. It is the quickest way to get your resume sent to the bin and kill your prospects of getting an invite for an interview.

    When you’re ready to start, your teaching cover letter should begin with a personalized greeting. In other words, you want to avoid the generic “Dear Hiring Manager” and instead – if possible – find out the name of the person handling the applications.

    While this isn’t always possible, oftentimes all it takes is a quick glance at the job advertisement or an easy web search to find out who is in charge of the school, language institute or online company where you’re applying. Taking the time to research the hiring manager’s name will allow you to stand out as someone who goes the extra mile, who cares deeply about the specific job, and who demonstrates attention to detail.

    The 3 paragraphs of a Cover Letter:

    1. Introduction: Why you’re writing

    This first paragraph is simple enough. You’re essentially letting an employer know that you’re interested in working for them. Be sure to specify the position for which you’re applying, and let the school, language institute, or online company know where you saw the job advertisement. Employers appreciate it when applicants mention where they saw the job posting because it allows them to get a better idea of where their advertising time and money are best spent.

    2. Body: Motivate why you want this particular job

    This is perhaps the most important paragraph to consider when writing a cover letter to teach abroad or online because this is where you’ll really demonstrate why someone should hire you.

    Do your research

    The first thing to keep in mind is that you need to do your research so that you can show you have a vast knowledge of the school or company and the position. Again, this personalizes the cover letter and lets employers know that this particular job would be a good fit for both the school and you.

    Focus on what you can contribute to the school.

    Next, highlight what you can specifically do for the school or program. Try to match your qualities to those listed in the job posting by offering specific examples of times when you’ve demonstrated these qualities or previous roles you’ve held that incorporated the same skillsets.

    Furthermore, try quantifying your skills – put numbers to your accomplishments! Teachers can do this in several ways, including specifying how many students they supervised during a specific role, how many reflective teaching support groups they hosted each month at a school, or the percentage by which their students’ test scores improved during a certain year.

    3. Finish with a strong summary paragraph

    While this paragraph is largely self-explanatory, you’ll want to remember several essential components to include here.

    First, you should reiterate why you’re a good fit for the position in order to leave employers with the most relevant information. Your summary must encourage the reader to a call of action: To put your name on the shortlist for interviews!

    Next, thank them for taking the time to review your application.

    Additionally, you want to include a reference to the next step. This could be something like, “I would appreciate the chance to set up an interview in order to further speak with you about my qualifications for the position” or, “Please feel free to reach out to me via phone or email if you have any questions about my qualifications.”

    Reference: I have consulted https://bridge.edu/tefl/blog/tefl-cover-letter.

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