Building a Winning Military-to-Civilian Cover Letter

If you have taken the time to carefully translate your military experience into a quality civilian resume, or had a professional military resume writing firm do it for you, a great cover letter might be exactly what you need to attract the attention of hiring managers and decision makers. A properly written cover letter can separate you from other job seekers and increase your chances of success.

A winning cover letter consists of four main parts: the header and inside address, the introductory paragraph, the skills and experience paragraph, and conclusion paragraph. Each of these sections gives the person who is about to read your resume an overall preview of the resume and allows you to highlight the details of which you are most proud.

In the header, you give personal details such as name, address, phone number and e-mail. While in the inside address, include the name and address of the company to which you are sending the letter. The introductory paragraph describes who you are and what position you are applying for as well as offering your resume for review.

In the skills and experience paragraph, state how your strengths and job history suit the demands of the prospective employer. This gives you an opportunity to present a preview of your upcoming resume by focusing on key points of interest. Try to give exact examples of your accomplishments at your highlighted positions and be sure that the skills and experience you are highlighting correspond to the company’s needs. The conclusion paragraph is used to express how you would add value to the company you are applying to and gives instructions for how and when you will be in contact with them.

If you follow these guidelines when writing your military-to-civilian cover letter, you should have a professional and personalized introduction for every job to which you apply.