{"id":189,"date":"2021-06-07T08:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T05:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arc.dev\/developer-blog\/?p=189"},"modified":"2024-04-17T11:30:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T03:30:47","slug":"cover-letter-for-remote-positions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arc.dev\/talent-blog\/cover-letter-for-remote-positions\/","title":{"rendered":"Why a Cover Letter for a Remote Position is Crucial & How to Write One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What if there were an easy step you could take to make your job application stand out among your peers? You wouldn\u2019t hesitate, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, there is one step that proves to be invaluable time and time again: writing a cover letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, cover letters add color that may be missing from the job resume<\/a>. For remote candidates, resume cover letters are an important way to share more about your background, skills and expertise. A resume cover letter can help your application stand out from the larger pool of candidates and showcase a bit of your personality that won\u2019t show up in a resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\u00a0Basecamp\u2019s David Heinemeier Hansson\u00a0said in our past interview with him, \u201cWriting is never going to go out of style. So these are investments you’re going to make, that’s gonna pay off for decades[, \u2026] if not the rest of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability to write well will always be valued. Here\u2019s why you should still write a resume cover letter for a remote job \u2014 and how to write one that gets you noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is a Cover Letter?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A cover letter is a short letter that you include with your resume to introduce yourself and explain your interest in the role, company, and why you are best suited to the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of a cover letter is to provide more detail about your skills and experience than there is space for on the resume. Remember, a resume should be limited to two pages. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to expand a little more on your qualifications and add color to the positions and certifications you\u2019ve achieved thus far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When seeking a position that lets you work from home<\/a>, a resume cover letter is an integral part of your application. First, you\u2019ll likely be competing with a larger pool of candidates, as remote positions are open to virtually anyone. This means you\u2019ll need to find a way to differentiate yourself from everyone else. The cover letter gives you a chance to tell more of a narrative about yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More<\/strong>: 10+ Important LinkedIn Best Practices for Remote Software Developers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, the remote job cover letter provides space for you to highlight your WFH-relevant experience. Working from home requires different skills, as you’ll need to have a heightened sense of self-motivation<\/a>, autonomy, and time management, among other things. Make sure you discuss the ways in which you\u2019ve acclimated to remote work over your career and the ways in which you\u2019re equipped to thrive in a virtual workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cover letter for remote jobs lets you showcase some of your personality, too. Remote employees don\u2019t always have the opportunity to meet their team in person; conveying your personality to a recruiter must happen on paper, through the phone, or via video. A cover letter is a great place to start sharing a little of what makes you unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing a remote cover letter that achieves each of these objectives can be intimidating, but it\u2019s also fun! Here are some tips to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Write a Cover Letter for Remote Jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A cover letter, especially software engineer cover letters<\/a>, should be qualitatively different from your resume: don\u2019t simply repeat everything you\u2019ve already listed in your skills and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can, use keywords from the job description throughout the cover letter. Explain how you will use relevant skills from your background to help the company achieve its goals. Make each cover letter specific to the employer; ad-libbing a cover letter is going to make you look bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More<\/strong>: What to Include on a Resume for Software Developer Jobs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to address a cover letter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some people include their address in a cover letter for a remote position; others don\u2019t. It\u2019s a matter of context: if you\u2019re emailing the letter, then you don\u2019t need to include a physical address. Your cover letter does need to include some contact details, however, such as your email address, phone number, or Skype username.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re submitting a file, use this format for your cover letter address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Name
Street Address
City, State Zip Code<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
You might also include the date of writing below your contact details. After that, write the hiring manager’s name (if you know it), their job title, the company name, and their address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To start the letter, try one of the following greetings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n