How to Write a Cover Letter

One of the first things a potential employer or recruiter will see when you apply for a role, is a cover letter.  A cover letter is an opportunity to showcase your professionalism, your ability to write effectively and quite simply meet the requirements the employer is seeking from a new employee.

So many times during my career I have seen cover letters which are not tailored to the job at hand.  In fact, often they are cover letters which have been submitted for different positions entirely and even have other Company or Hiring Manager’s names on them.  Big mistake!  Some recruitment consultants will tell you that they seldom read a cover letter any more – perhaps this is why!  Like many others however, I always do.  It definitely helps me differentiate between candidates.  

Benefits of writing a cover letter

Stand out from the crowd.  In a market where there are many others applying for the same role this is your chance to:

• Demonstrate the effort you have put into your application.
• Describe your current situation in respect to employment including why you are looking and why this role is of interest to you.
• Provide more detail on the specific skills or experience you offer which are of particular relevance to this position.

Tips for writing a cover letter

• Use plain, professional fonts and page formatting. Refrain from complex graphics, using landscape documents or fonts with difficult to read characters.  
• Use an appropriate “tone of voice”  – this will depend on the company, the industry, and the occupation and role.  The job advertisement and website will help to give you clues about what is appropriate.  You can mirror the language used in the job advertisement.
• Write in the first, not the third person.
• Make sure that the person you address it to is the person listed in the advertisement.
• State how your skills, education and experience fit the requirements listed in the advertisement.  Provide real examples.  Don’t just state that you are this or that.  The cover letter is meant to add value.   For instance, nearly everyone states that they have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.  Rather than this, describe how your excellent communication skills have been demonstrated in the workplace. Is there a specific role requirement that has required you to utilise your outstanding interpersonal skills?  What situation have you been involved with that demonstrated that your communication skills are superior to others?  
• Check for spelling and grammatical errors – especially if you describe yourself as having fantastic attention to detail!
• Keep it to less than one page. The Hiring contact is likely to have many cover letters to read.  Short and effective is the key.  It is not a replica of your resume.  Bullet points are fine. 
• Add the cover page as the first page of your resume, if you are only able to upload one document.
• Ensure the company name and job title are without errors. 
• Check that your email address and telephone number are correct. I see incorrect numbers frequently!
• Use professional letter writing format and language. 
  For example:  “Dear Hiring Manager’s Name”, “I look forward to hearing from you, “I look forward to discussing my application further”, “Sincerely” and “Kind Regards”. 

Using AI

I recommend some caution with this.  While it’s okay to use AI to assist you, in my experience it is often obvious that you have not written this yourself through the language that is used.  Perhaps see it as a helpful starting point.

Summary

While it adds complexity to the submission of a job application, an effective cover letter will help ensure that your application is noticed and piques the interest of the potential employer.  A well written cover letter, tailored to the position being advertised, shows that you have been prepared to invest your time and effort into the recruitment process.  Your resume is worthy of serious consideration!