爱思英语编者按：许多求职者都认为一份漂亮的简历是求职成功的必备条件，而忽视了求职信(cover letter) “画龙点睛”的妙用，到底什么是求职信，应该怎样写？一起来学习一下吧！

Writing a cover letter to impress
精彩求职信赢得就业先机

If you apply for a job position with a foreign company, chances are you will be asked to provide an English cover letter along with your resume.
如果你申请一家外企的职位，那么你很有可能需要在提交简历的同时附上一封英文求职信。

But what exactly is a cover letter? How long should it be? And most importantly, what should you write about?
但是求职信到底是什么？篇幅多长？最重要的是，应该写些什么呢？

A cover letter, or motivation letter, is almost a standard requirement when applying for international jobs. In brief, it is a letter introducing yourself as a person and explaining why you are applying for the position. But there is more to writing a good cover letter.
申请外企工作时，求职信（又称自荐信）几乎已经成为一条标准规定了。简而言之，求职信就是一封介绍个人情况、阐述你申请该职位理由的信件。但是想要写出一封精彩的求职信远没有这么简单。

Usually a cover letter should be one page in length, including the sender’s and the recipient’s address, which should be placed at the top of the page. Under this, write a short header in bold print to inform the reader what the letter is about. For example, “Internship opportunity at Haier Group”. If you are sending an e-mail, put this information in the subject box.
通常，求职信的长度应为一页纸，其中页面上方应注明寄信人以及收信人的地址。地址下方，应用粗体短标题来告知读信人这封信的主要内容，例如：“申请海尔集团的实习机会”。如果你使用电子邮件的话，可以将这一信息作为邮件主题。

Next, address the employer by name if you know the contact person. Otherwise it is acceptable to use “Dear Hiring Manager”. In the first paragraph you should then say what position you are applying for and how you found out about it.
接下来，如果你知道公司联系人，可以写上对方姓名。反之，也可以用“尊敬的招聘经理”来称呼对方。在第一段中你需要说明自己所申请的职位，以及你对该职位的见解。

In the next few paragraphs explain in detail why you believe yourself to be a suitable candidate for the position. The aim of the cover letter is to encourage the reader to look at your resume, so be confident but try to avoid repeating the same information that is already in your resume.
在接下来的几段中，你需要详细阐释你认为自己胜任该职位的原因。求职信的主要目的在于激起读信人的兴趣去翻阅你的简历，所以要充满自信，同时也应该尽量避免反复提及简历中的已有信息。

It is very important to tailor your cover letter to the position you are applying for. Read through the job description carefully and explain why you meet its requirements.
写求职信时，根据所申请的职位来“量体裁衣”也是十分重要的一点。仔细阅读职位描述，然后给出自己可以胜任这份工作的理由。

It is best to provide concrete examples of where you learnt the skills necessary for the job, so include some information from your work experience and studies.
最好能列出具体事例来证明你从何处学到了这项工作所需要具备的技能。因此，要包含一些有关学习及工作经历的信息。

Don’t lie, as HR managers can easily assess whether you are saying the truth or not. Also, remember that if you are invited for an interview, you will most likely be asked questions about your previous experience, so think of good examples that demonstrate your skills, such as teamwork or problem solving. This is where you can really stand out from other applicants.
不要撒谎，人事经理们能轻而易举地判断你所言是否属实。同时切记，如果你被通知参加面试，你极可能会被问及之前的经历。因此，想出一些能充分证明你能力的事例，比如说团队精神，或者解决问题能力。这才能真正使你从应聘者中间脱颖而出。

Writing a convincing cover letter takes a lot of time and effort, but don’t think you can cut corners by writing just one letter and sending it to different employers. The first thing HR managers will pay attention to is whether you have thoroughly researched the company. If they receive a generic letter it will probably end up in the bin.
写一封让人信服的求职信需要花费很多时间和精力；但不要认为你可以讨巧——用同一封求职信来应付不同雇主。人事经理们首要关心的是：你是否已深入了解公司状况。如果他们收到的是一封通用信函的话，那么很有可能它的最终归宿是垃圾箱。

Ask your parents, friends or your university’s career center to read through your cover letter, and make sure there are no spelling mistakes. You can look at samples of cover letters on the Internet for reference, but do not copy them.
请来父母、朋友，或者所就读大学的就业指导中心来通读你的求职信，确保没有任何拼写错误。你可以参考网上的一些求职信范文，但是不要抄袭。

In the final paragraph, express your enthusiasm for the position and say that you look forward to a response. Also offer to provide further information on request.
在信件结尾，表达你对于该职位的热情，并表示十分期待对方的回复。当然也要表明，如有需要可提供更为详细的信息。