What to Remember When Writing a Cover Letter
The cover letter is the first thing your potential employer will see of you. It’s a chance to show off some of your personality, as opposed to a CV which can be more distant. It’s also a good opportunity for you to stand yourself apart from the rest of the applicants.
Here are some tips to remember to make sure your cover letter stands out from the crowd.
Personally address it- Simply starting a cover letter with ‘To whom it may concern’ can seem impersonal and cold. Do a little online searching and try to find out the name of the recruiter who will be reading your letter. If you can’t, at least put the job title of the recruiter or name of the company you’re applying for to try and make it seem more direct.
Check your tone- While cover letters shouldn’t be stiflingly formal, it’s also important to remember that it’s a professional document. A cover letter should work as an introduction to you as an employee, so keep it professional, but also don’t be afraid to put some personality in there.
Don’t just repeat your CV- Anyone reading your cover letter will also be reading your CV, so there’s no need to repeat the same information in the same format. Instead, add detail to and expand on the information in your CV. Let them know what you gained from your previous jobs in terms of knowledge and skills, which will help you seem more than just dated information on a page.
Show enthusiasm- Spend at least one of your sections talking about why you’ve applied and how much you’d love to get the role. If the recruiter doesn’t think you want the job then they’re not going to give it to you, so be sure to show interest.
Emphasise what you can bring to the role- A cover letter can help to personalise your skills to the company you’re applying for. Potential employers will want to know what you can do for them should they hire you, so make it seem like employing you would be to their advantage.
Be positive- Don’t make apologies for not having certain skills, instead highlight the qualities you do have. Be confident in what you can do, and don’t be afraid to talk to up your strengths.
Try not to use generic descriptions- Anyone can be ‘hardworking’ and ‘confident’. What the employer wants to hear is how you stand out. You can link this back to your experience and expand it in detail. Remember, everyone is different, you just have to work out how you’re different, and what benefits that would bring to the job.
Check your spelling and grammar, then recheck it- There’s nothing that will get your application binned quicker than silly mistakes in spelling and grammar. It looks lazy, and gives the employer the impression that you don’t truly care about the job. Taking the time to read over your application, or getting someone else to read over it, can make the world of difference.