How to Write a Cover Letter
Writing a good cover letter can be the difference between being taken seriously and not when you apply for a job. There are a great many people who have never written a letter in their lives, so are unsure what to say, or how they should address their letter. We are keen to ensure that you write the best cover letter that you are able to, and that you make an excellent first impression on your potential employer.
If you are wondering whether to include a cover letter alongside your CV, you definitely should, and you should tailor it to the position that you are applying for. It is too common for job seekers to omit this essential step in the process and thereby miss out on an extra chance to sell themselves and potentially get through to the next round of selection much easier.
If you don’t bother with a cover letter, the message that the potential employer hears is that you don’t value the opportunity and don’t think you need to give your best effort to get the job.
There are a number of things to consider when you are writing a cover letter and we have included some of these below for your information.
Addressing the Letter
In the age of email, many people have gotten used to just starting with “Hi” at the beginning of their communications or leaving a salutation out altogether. WIth a cover letter, it is important to start with Dear Mr Jones, or Dear Ms Jones, depending on the gender of the recipient. This is the optimum combination of personalisation and respect and will start you off on the right foot with the company.
Length of the Letter
The cover letter should be no more than one side of A4 paper in total, bear in mind that you are writing a concise introduction to yourself, your skills and your aspirations rather than a novel or an article. Try to stick to relevant information and remember that if the letter is too wrong, it will work against you. Brevity is your friend when it comes to cover letters.
Which Information Should be Included?
You should set out the reason for your letter in the first sentence, for example “I am writing to apply for the post of dog warden, as advertised in…” and then go on to explain why you are interested in applying.
Letting them know where you saw the post advertised just ticks a little box in their metrics so they know that a particular advertising channel is working well for their company. It is a small thing but they will appreciate the information.
Do Your Research
When you explain why you are interested in applying, try to highlight aspects of the job that interest you. If they use a particular technology that you are keen to learn, mention this. If they are known for a certain technique, mention that as well. All of this shows that you have done your research and have a genuine interest in working with their organisation.
This is your chance to sell why you would be a great fit for the job. Try to keep it fairly concise but match yourself against the requirements and explain the parts of the job that really enthuse you. Every employer wants to find enthusiastic employees who will work hard for them and if you can project that part of your personality well, you will be more likely to be given an opportunity with them, or perhaps reach the interview stage at the least.
Talk About Your Skills and Abilities
Try to imagine that you are sitting opposite the person you are writing to. Explain about the skills, qualifications and abilities that you bring to the job and how they can be deployed for the benefit of the organisation. You are selling yourself to them here and it is important to remember to keep the tone friendly and enthusiastic, without going overboard.
Explain to them how your skills and abilities fit the person specification, let them know about the hobby that relates to the job role, and that you have had an interest in since you were a child, tell them a bit about your personal accomplishments.
Closing the Letter
Many experts in cover letter writing differ about how best to close the letter but a great way is to thank the reader for their consideration and tell them that you look forward to hearing from them in due course.
This gives the impression that you are polite and well-mannered, thanking them for their consideration. It also says you expect to hear back from them, which means you are hopeful for an invitation to interview, and “in due course” means that they should do it when they have the opportunity to do so and not to overburden themselves, which shows empathy for their work load.
Sign off with
“Yours sincerely,
First Name Last name”
Things to Consider
- You need to follow any directions that have been given in the instructions for applying, so if they specify a letter length, you should stick to that rather than adhering to our recommendation.
- You should be making it clear what the employer will gain from you, and not the other way around.
- Try not to go over the top with talk of your own abilities. You need to be realistic about where you are on your career path. No aspiring software developer who has just left high school is the best there has ever been.
Proofread Your Work
Remember that you are seeking to impress the person reading the letter, so it is not unreasonable to expect you to proofread your letter for spelling errors or inaccuracies. As with your CV, you should use free tools like Grammarly to ensure that you haven’t made any glaring errors that may harm your application. This is the minimum that is expected by potential employers and not doing this will often be interpreted as a lack of care.
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