We use this term "a military cover letter" when we are talking about former military people who wish to transition to a civilian type of job. This is somewhat different from writing a generic cover letter as it should contain some information generic cover letters don't usually have. As a result, many former military people are confused as they do not know how to write an effective military cover letter. Well, at this point there are two things you can do. You either try and do it yourself or find someone who is qualified enough to cope with the task. If you want to go with the second option our company is a good place to do that. However, you could also do it on your own. In this case, you may want to read some of the helpful tips for writing a military cover letter.
Military Cover Letters
The structure of a military transition cover letter is no different from any other cover letter really. There are basically three paragraphs in which you have to convey the idea of why hiring managers need to hire you. The flow and reasoning will be different at some points. Keep in mind that the purpose of a military cover letter is essentially the same as those of other cover letters - you simply have to answer the question HR managers keep in their minds: "Why should I hire him/her?". You don't want to open your cards in the first paragraph though as it is meant to have an introductory character. Open the letter with the information about why you decided to apply and where you got the information about the opening. The second paragraph is the part of your cover letter you should pay special attention to. That is where you have to say how your past experience makes you a good match for the job.
The difficulty is to convert all of the military terms you used to operate to the terms hiring managers would be able to understand. The abundance of military terminology will not help your prospective employer to see why they should hire you. It is your job to make every effort to explain your experience and accomplishments in a clear and concise manner. You may have done great things in the army but if you fail to make it clear how it is related to the job you are applying then it is likely you will be denied the job. You may close your cover letter by reiterating your interest in the position and provide your contact details in case you haven't done it yet throughout your letter. If you have done everything correctly on the previous stages of writing then you don't have to add anything else in this final stage. Don't try to give any new information about your accomplishments in the concluding paragraph - it doesn't belong here. Relevant accomplishments are to be listed in the main body of the letter. A good idea is to proofread your cover letter after it is complete. You may identify spelling or even grammar mistakes which are to be corrected.
Check our military transition resume tips - they may help you prepare a strong job application package.
