Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts
A cover letter is not “yet another thing to do to apply for a job”. It is not a formality, a check box that needs to be ticked. A cover letter is relevant, important, and indeed essential to get right in your quest for a new job. How would you write a cover letter that attracts the interest of an employer? What content should you consider for a cover letter and what are the Do’s and Don’ts?
Why do I need a cover letter?
A cover letter is an opportunity for you to present yourself in such a way that attracts the interest of an employer. It is your first formal contact with an employer and they would expect a professional and informative cover letter that gives them an insight of who you are and how you may fit the role that they have advertised. Many employers would create a first pass of shortlisted candidates based on cover letters. Many companies would reject candidates if a cover letter was not attached with an application.
Making yourself stand out
The question to ask yourself when preparing a cover letter is “what would attract an employer to read my CV and potentially invite me for an interview?” The simple answer that you may have heard several times is that you need to make yourself stand out. But how do you do that?
Before starting to write a cover letter, do make the effort to research the job and the company and understand what the job entails and the skills required. Do not write a generic cover letter that is a “cut and paste” from a previous job application as this may risk outright rejection from an employer.
For example, if you are applying for a sales job, make sure you mention any previous experience in a customer facing role and the skills you have gained that are relevant to the skills the employer is seeking.
Self-motivation and adaptability are important in today’s world of remote working and learning new skills. Make sure you mention any volunteering work that you may have done and how that demonstrates self-motivation and perhaps an online training course you did to enhance your knowledge and skill such as digital marketing, or customer service.
Writing something interesting and personal such as your interest in running marathons, cycling, charity work etc. will provide a human dimension and a little peek at your personal side, which employers value.
Make a cover letter no more than 1 page. Remember that employers have to sift through several applicants, so it is important to be brief and relevant.
Improve your chances of Success
Spending some time to write 10 well-thought-out cover letters to accompany a job application will provide you a better chance of going through to the next steps with an employer. Sending out 50 job applications without cover letters or “cut and paste” cover letters is selling yourself short and doing yourself a disservice.
Improve your chances of success by making a good investment of your time in a cover letter!
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