The purpose of a cover letter is to inform the reader of your interest in the job and your interest in the company. It should give the reader a snapshot of your suitability for the position and encourage them to invite you for an interview. The cover letter is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your written communication skills so it should be written in a friendly, concise and business-like manner. Some people make the mistake of trying to win the job with the cover letter and try to provide a complete career history in the letter. Whilst it is important to create a good first impression, the letter should only provide enough RELEVANT information for the reader to want to know more about you either through a phone interview or better still a face to face interview. Once at that stage, it’s up to you to win them over. But more on that later.
The cover letter should be no more than 1 page long and should be targeted for the specific position you are applying for. It is important to articulate why you are suitable and why you want to work for the organisation, so do your homework.
Do
- Emphasise your strengths and clearly explain what you have to offer.
- Match your skills to the criteria listed in the advertisement and validate your statements with an example.
- Be positive and use persuasive language.
- Use a few bullet points to summarise key points.
- Explain why the position interests you and why you are suitable.
Don’t
- Don’t use negative language and avoid highlighting any skill gaps. Writing something like “although I do not have recent experience in this field, you may be interested in my 5 years experience at XYZ Company”. This is basically telling the reader that you are NOT suitable and they will put your application straight in the no pile. This sounds really obvious, but you would be amazed at how many times I have read that in a cover letter! Instead, focus on your transferable skills and achievements.
- Don’t try to hard to be “unique” or highlight your outgoing personality. Keep the letter business like and let your personality shine at the interview. Of course, if you are applying for a job where a vibrant personality is a must (such as the entertainment or promotions industry) then perhaps you need to stand out from the crowd. Be logical, put yourself in the reader’s shoes and match the tone of your letter to the job and the industry.
- Don’t sound desperate or beg for a job/interview. Be persuasive and positive and create genuine interest for the reader.
Till next time,
