Hoping to apply to a job in an English-speaking country? You might think that after putting together your résumé or CV your work is done, but there’s still a very important step left: the cover letter.

　　想要在英语国家找工作，光准备好简历是不够的，cover letter也绝不能忽视。

　　A cover letter is a short letter – no more than one page – that goes on top of your application. It’s the first thing that employers read, and, if it’s well-written and intriguing, should encourage the hiring manager to turn the page and look at your application, instead of throwing it in the trash and moving on.

　　cover letter在你申请资料的首页，内容不超过一页纸。你的雇主会最先读这一部分的内容，所以cover letter一定要写得“引人入胜”，否则，你精心准备的申请资料只能被扔进垃圾桶了。

　　It’s important to remember that the cover letter makes a first impression, so it’s important to pay particular attention to spelling, grammar, and readability. The letter is your opportunity to show your personality, interpret your experience, and explain to the employer why they should hire you.

　　cover letter会给雇主留下对你的第一印象，所以一定要注意拼写和语法的正确性以及可读性。它是你展现个性和解读阅历的机会，你要给雇主一个雇用你的理由。

　　Because the letter should be specific to the job opening, don’t send the same letter to every company you apply to. Feel free to use similar ideas and wordings, but employers should not be able to tell that you erased another company’s name and wrote theirs in. Do a little research about the company before you write the letter. You want to come across as interested, informed, and resourceful.

　　每一封cover letter都是对应具体的招聘职位的，所以不要去每个公司应聘都用一样的cover letter。你大可以在不同的letter里用相似的想法和措词，但是别让雇主感觉你仅仅是擦去了上家公司的名字换上了他们家的。在写信前，多做些调研。你应该让雇主感觉你对该公司很感兴趣，并且见多识广足智多谋。

　　Start by addressing the letter. Do what you can to find the name of the person who will be making the decisions, and address it to them. This makes the letter more personal. Otherwise, address it to a relevant job title:

　　Dear Mr. Jones,

　　Dear Ms. Smith,

　　Dear [Company Name] Hiring Manager,

　　[note: in the US, it is customary to put a period/full stop after the abbreviations “Mr.” and “Ms.” In British English, this punctuation is left out.]

　　开头称呼部分，尽量找到可以直接决定是否雇佣你的老板的名字，这样显得更加personal. 找不到的话，就写给相关的公司负责人。

　　In the first paragraph, explain why you’re writing. State the position you’re applying for and where you heard about the opening. If you talked to anyone in the company about the position, be sure to mention them by name, as it will distinguish you from other applicants. Also include a very brief explanation of why you’re interested and who you are.

　　第一段，解释写信理由。陈述自己要应聘的岗位以及在哪里听说该岗位空缺。如果你有公司内部人员推荐，要在信中提到他们的名字，这样雇主才能把你跟其他应聘者区分开。同时，要简要介绍一下自己，并解释一下为什么有意愿进入该公司。

　　In the second (and possibly third) paragraph(s), discuss your experience in more detail and, most importantly, how it applies to the opening. Don’t list everything that you’ve included in your résumé or CV. Instead, choose a few very relevant and/or impressive points that will intrigue the reader. Use active words that highlight your skills.

　　在第二、三段，更具体地介绍一下你的工作经历，尤其是要证明一下这些经历和技能如何能够应用到该职位。不要把简历上的内容都列在上面，而是要挑选若干个相关的闪光点来打动雇主。

　　These paragraphs give you an opportunity to change how the hiring manager reads your résumé or CV. For every bit of experience that you mention, say how it demonstrates a skill that would be essential for the job. This is particularly important if your experience isn’t quite in the same field as the opening: you have the opportunity to explain how your experience in other fields can be applied to this new one.

　　这些段落可以让你有机会改变雇主解读你简历的方式。对于每一个你提到的工作经历，一定要说明它体现出的对于该职位很重要的能力，尤其是当你之前的工作经历与应聘岗位不在一个领域的时候。这里你有了个很好的机会向雇主解释，你在其他领域的经验和技能是如何可以应用到新的岗位的。