How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter
Your cover letter is the first part of your application seen by your potential employer and is therefore crucial in creating a good and lasting impression. In some cases, it will determine whether or not your CV gets read at all!
While a CV should be tweaked for each application, a covering letter should always be written from scratch and refer directly to both the company and the position you are applying for. An employer can spot an identikit letter a mile off and may respond by not calling you for an interview.
Where to begin
In such a competitive job market, the days of addressing cover letters to 'Whom It May Concern' are well and truly over. Where possible, find out the name of the recruitment manager, recruitment agent or department head responsible for handling applications and address your letter to them directly. This will not only look more professional, but will also instantly show you've taken the initiative to seek out who you will initially be reporting to. If you can't obtain the recruiter's name, address your letter to 'Dear Sir/Madam'.
The introduction to your letter should be succinct and professional and should mention the position you are applying for and how you fulfil the criteria.
Length
Keep in mind that your recruiter will likely have hundreds of applications to read through. It is therefore wise to keep your cover letter short, no longer than one A4 page at 12 point font. Even then, if you can keep it to two or three paragraphs this will be far more inviting to read for a recruiter than pages and pages of single-spaced text.
Content
Avoid repeating the content of your CV in your cover letter. The main priority is to address the points given in the job advertisement and to show how your skills, experience, interests and qualities fulfil the criteria of the role, giving brief examples of how and when you've applied your skills to achieve results.
Always make individual reference to the company as well. If, for example, it is a small organisation, a line on why you like the idea of working in a tight-knit team may be applicable. If the company is a global giant, make it clear that you consider working for an industry leader to be an exciting prospect. This shows both your industry knowledge and a genuine interest in the position.
Use snappy sentences, be clear, affirmative and to the point and remember that your letter should not be about how the job is right for you, but how you are right for the job.
Tone
Another consideration is the tone of your letter. A professional, business-like tone works best, although you can also take your lead from the way in which the job advertisement has been written. Overly academic language is not engaging, and overly conversational language seems unprofessional, so try for something in between. A good method to test the tone in your letter is to read it out loud to a friend or colleague you trust. Does it flow naturally? Is it stilted or list-like? Asking a friend or colleague to read over your letter to check for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors is also crucial, some recruiters will have zero tolerance for these inaccuracies.
Layout and presentation
Often recruiters prefer your cover letter to appear in the body of the email rather than a separated word document attachment as it is less hassle. If you would prefer to group your CV and letter together, ensure your letter and CV make up one document only.
In email format your letter need not appear as a formal business letter. However, if in a word document, you may present your letter as a formal business letter, with your personal details in the top right, your addressee's details left justified in the body of the letter, followed by the main text of the letter. If you intend to include a photo in your application, insert this into your CV rather than the cover letter. Use 1.5 line spacing and times new roman or arial font.
Signing off
Just as you need to create a good impression with your opening sentence, your closing words are key to creating a lasting impression on your prospective employer. Your closing paragraph should reinforce your suitability for the job, draw attention to your CV and express your enthusiasm to meet with the recruiter.
Your sign-off will depend on your opening address. As a general rule of thumb, use 'Yours faithfully,' if you are unable to find the name of the recruiter and 'Yours sincerely,' if you know their name.
With these tips in mind, your cover letter will make you stand out in the crowd as a professional and valuable candidate!
