An IT technician is a vital part of any company. Because it is such an important position, it's essential that applicants create well-written cover letters that highlight appropriate skills and offer a clean resume of their experience to date.
The following tips should help.
IT cover letter tips.
Formatting your cover letter.
Letter writing has become a bit of a lost art in these days of e-mail. However, it's important for a cover letter to still be presented in the traditional format to demonstrate professionalism. There are a large amount of tools and templates available on the web to help if the applicant hasn't any experience in letter writing.
The important thing to remember when writing a cover letter is to be concise. The aim should be for the applicant to explain why they are suitable for the role, but in three or four short-is paragraphs. On some occasions, bullet points can help do this.
What should be included in the letter?
As noted above, the aim is to explain exactly what makes the applicant suitable for the role of IT technician. The letter should therefore contain the following sections:
- Introduction to the applicant
- Skills related to the job
- Relevant qualifications
Firstly, it should include a summation paragraph that quickly explains who the applicant is, what experience they have and their most relevant skills. Something like this:
"I have over ten years of experience in technical IT. My recent role was as IT Technician for X company, where I was responsible for (amongst other tasks) setting up servers and networks, running diagnostics, repairing and patching systems and ensuring network protection was in place."
This instantly demonstrates to the employer that the applicant has suitable skills for the role and has verifiable experience.
Secondly, a more concrete list of skills should be included. Relevant skills for an IT technician might include:
- Advising other employees
- Offering training to colleagues
- Liaising with suppliers regarding maintenance
- Troubleshooting problems
- Using various operating systems
- Applications such as Office
- Knowledge of freeware and deployment technologies
Finally, the letter should include any relevant qualifications, both educational and professional, that the applicant has managed to obtain. Professional qualifications can include those from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, City and Guilds or the Engineering Council, as well as others.
How an applicant can sell themselves.
Potential employers want to take on someone knowing that they have a proven record of carrying out the role they're hiring for. Therefore, the best way for an applicant to sell themselves is to note specific projects that they've been involved in and specific tasks they were asked to carry out.
Be sure to mention how challenges were overcome and detail important outcomes – employers want to see that projects were carried through to a successful conclusion.
What should be avoided?
There are two things that should be avoided in a cover letter. Firstly, any opinions that involve commenting on the employer, or the employer's recruitment process. Some degree of opinion can be incorporated if it shows a demonstrable enthusiasm for the job – 'I think these skills leave me well-placed to contribute…' but obvious attempts to 'position' the text would be better left on the drawing board.
Secondly, the applicant should cut out anything irrelevant to the role: again, the aim is to be as concise as possible.
