Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to communicate who you are – your personality and brings your CV to life.
We see so many cover letters that are just a repeat of the CV and don’t say anything new to the recruiter. It’s a good tip to think of the cover letter like the oral exam after submitting a dissertation. You need to bring something new to the table and to bring what you have written in your CV to life!
It takes time & effort
This is your opportunity to show that you are the right candidate for the job. Read the job description, then adapt your wording to show that you have exactly the skills required for the role. Think of the job description as a shopping list. Everything that is on that list, the recruiter will be keen to see on your CV and cover letter. So, be sure to list all of the main ‘ingredients’. The employer wants to acquire everything on the list, so you need to show that you have everything they want and bring it to life by using examples of when you last performed that task or used that particular skill.
Here are a few key things you should do before you start writing a cover letter
- Research & understand what the company does
- Find out what the company’s mission & vision is
- Be certain that you know what the role involves
- Establish what the essential skills are for this role
Once you’ve found the answers to these questions, then you’ll be able to make it clear in your cover letter how your skills and abilities match with what the employer is looking for.
Here’s some cover letter tips to help yours stand out
- Give examples from your past work experience to highlight how you can meet the skillset they are looking for.
- Remember to adapt your cover letter specifically to the company / job you are applying for. It takes less than 20 seconds to spot a professionally written, job-specific, company specific letter and even less for a copy/paste application.
- Always try to find the person you are addressing. If it isn’t in the vacancy post, then do some research. Showing you have researched the company and its employees, is exactly what will make you stand out.
- Being professional is important, but being memorable is key here, so be polite and friendly!
- After speaking with the recruiter / person responsible in the job ad, try to connect with them on LinkedIn by sending a message and connect request.
Before you go….
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