Courtesy expressions for a cover letter

As part of an application for a job offer, you will be required to write two key documents: a CV and a cover letter. These are two essentials that recruiters absolutely must wait for in order to study your profile. Keep in mind that these are the documents that may get you landed an interview , so spend as much as you need and don’t send stuffed or half-finished documents. In this case, it is better to simply give up applying.

When it comes to writing your cover letter, the expected format is first of all a very traditional mail format. . Start by giving your detailed contact information : name, first name, address, phone, email address, age, license.

It may seem ridiculous to specify, but these are simply the basic information to be indicated. Indicate the address of the recipient company , and if you know it, the name of your contact person. Date your mail, and indicate in the subject line the title of the job offer to which you are responding . It may sound off-putting, but with just a glance at your cover letter and its presentation, the recruiter will make a judgment. Mail that does not meet traditional presentation standards can be quickly put aside. So put the odds in your favor and stick to these guidelines.

One of the peculiarities of mail is our use of polite expressions. Tradition has it that proper mail begins with “Madam, Sir”. There is no question of deviating from this in your simple cover letter. Just be a little consistent: if you address your mail to Mr. Martin, “Sir” is sufficient. Likewise, if you address your letter to a lady, “Madame” is sufficient. A letter addressed to a man beginning with “Madame” can leave a very bad impression and upset the other person.

Starting your letter is not, in itself, very complicated. Where it gets tough is at the end sentence level of your mail. There are many polite expressions such as “Please accept, Madam, Sir, the expression of my deep respect”; “Please accept, Madam, Sir, my best regards”, “Please believe, Madam, Sir, in the expression of my most devoted feelings” … So, should you really use those polite expressions in your cover letter ?

The answer is no, or at least not these. The polite expressions are different , depending on the type of document you are writing. The formulas listed above are suitable for mail exchanges. In your accompanying email for example, the formulas will certainly be “Best regards”, “Wishing you good reception of these documents, I remain at your entire disposal for any further information” …

The point of a polite phrase is to close your document, but you have to know how to adapt the length of the cover letter according to the content of the latter. The cover letter presents your application and demonstrates your interest in the ad you are responding to. Logically, if you apply for a job offer, it is in order to want to be selected for the position. At the end of your letter, you are therefore awaiting the recruiter’s feedback, and especially awaiting a positive response. You can therefore use the following formulas:

• “Hoping that my profile meets your expectations, I remain at your entire disposal for a possible interview”
• “In the awaiting your return, I remain at your entire disposal for any clarification “
• “Pending a favorable return from you, please accept the expression of my distinguished feelings “
• “Remaining at your entire disposal for an interview, please accept my most sincere greetings”

In the end, whatever polite phrase you use, it must be it also reflects your level of involvement. This is the last sentence the recruiter will read , so this is potentially your last chance to leave a good impression. So don’t get excited, don’t invent anything. Select a correct sentence , sober and correlated with the rest of your letter. If you don’t know what to put on, keep it simple!