How do I write a covering letter to apply for job vacancies?
The Aim and Creation of a Cover Letter
The cover letter is a short, formal document that accompanies your curriculum vitae when you are making a job application.
Don’t Get too Creative
When writing both a CV and a cover letter many people try to be as creative with the appearance as possible, don’t make this mistake. Use a font that is easy to read both online and off, Times Roman or Ariel point 12 are both acceptable, avoid anything fancy. Your CV should state your work experience, education and perhaps personal profile keep it as brief and as unfussy as possible.
Do Your Research
Find out what you can about the company to which you are applying, either online or through local directories. Make sure you know something about their particular industry and as much as you can about the role/position you are applying for. If you can mention something about the company in your cover letter it could put you ahead of the crowd.
Addressing a Cover Letter
Address your letter to a specific person, if you can’t find a particular name then address it to the office manager or the manager of the particular department to which you are applying. Make sure that the recipient’s name and address are at the top left hand side of your cover letter as well as on the envelope; your own name and address should go on the right. The date should be on the right and you should use a long date format, i.e. not 6/6/2017 but 6th June, 2018 or in America June 6th 2019. If you can’t find the name of a person either in the advertisement or on the company website then it might be worth telephoning the company for a name. If you are sending your application via email, the name and address should still be on the letter and sent to either a personal email address or the one given in the job advert. Make sure that you save your documents under a simple file name, especially if you are sending them as an email attachment.
What Your Cover Letter Should Do
Your cover letter should highlight key aspects of your CV. A potential employer will read your cover letter first so it must be able to convince him or her to read the accompanying CV. You should see your cover letter as your primary opportunity to demonstrate to the recruiter or potential employer as a means of communicating how suitable you are for the advertised position. The cover letter is often key to getting an invitation to a job interview.
The aim of a good cover letter is to make the reader want to know more about the sender. Cover letters are the acceptable means of introduction when applying for a position, not to mention explaining which particular vacancy you are interested in.
A cover letter is more personal than a CV alone and is the means for matching your previous experiences to the job application. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to provide information that does not fit with the rigid structure of a CV. While a CV is a testament to your experience, it lacks the personal touch that a cover letter can give and enables some self promotion. Apart from introducing yourself and providing information that is not in your CV, a cover letter can also do the following:
• Explain personal qualities that make you suitable for the position.
• Provide information as to when you are available for interview.
• Explain any career gaps in your CV.
• Let an employer know that you have researched their company by mentioning a particular product or service.
Tips for writing an effective cover letter
The following are tips to help you in your job application; you can find examples of cover letters on the internet. You should not use the examples as they are but see them as a starting point for writing your own particular cover letter, specifically targeted to a certain industry or position.
The opening paragraph
The first paragraph should explain, in a formal manner, the reason for the letter (i.e. the position you are applying for), and telling the recipient that your CV is attached. Research the name of the person you are writing to, Dear Mr Brown is better than Dear Sir and will show the person that you have taken the time to get this information. Key points to mention in the first paragraph besides the position you are applying for are where you saw the position advertised and your present occupation and job title.
Some examples of phrases you might use after the salutation and before you introduce yourself are as follows:
“I am interested in your vacancy for……..”
‘I was interested to read in (name of publication) your advertisement for………
‘Further to your advertisement for ….. I should like to apply for that position’
‘I write with reference to your vacancy for a (………). ‘
‘Please find enclosed my application for the vacancy of ………..‘
“I would be grateful if you would consider my application for the following position’.
The second paragraph
The second paragraph is where you can sell yourself to the employer, matching your skills to the job specification you can demonstrate that the company would benefit from your contribution. This paragraph is also a good place to show that you have done some research on the company by mirroring the company’s values, e.g. “I am committed to the provision of excellent customer service.” Don’t simply list examples from your CV but demonstrate how particular experiences are important to the position that you are applying for.
Concentrate on;
• How and in what ways your professional and academic qualifications are relevant to the position.
• Focus on your transferable skills if the industry is different where you have worked previously.
• Say how and in what ways you see this position as important to your future, e.g. progression within the company.
The Final Paragraph / Conclusion
Make sure that you finish you cover letter on a positive note by thanking the reader for their time and expressing your anticipation of their response – you might even request that they contact you if they require further information prior to interview. This final part is almost a call to action on the part of the employer without actually requesting an interview as most employers and recruiters like to make up their own mind. You might, perhaps, want to add something like, ‘I look forward to discussing my candidacy and the position with you further.’
Make your letter as concise as possible, it should, in preference, all fit onto one page. If you find that you have gone beyond one page then you need to revise the letter and cut any unnecessary words or information. When addressing the recipient as Sir or Madam, you should use “Yours faithfully” to sign off, if you are using the person’s name then you should sign off with Yours sincerely” remember to leave a space of a few lines before adding your signature with your name in print underneath.
Tailor the Letter to Fit the Application
Don’t send out the same cover letter for more than one application. Using the above as a guide, match your letter to fit the job, i.e. tailoring your experience and transferable skills to fit in with a specific company and position.
Key Things to Mention in Each Cover Letter
• Your contact details, including phone numbers
• Which position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised – if through an agency or in a newspaper then mention the date.
• Match any soft skills and values to those of the company, e.g. customer service, problem solving and working as a member of a team.
Good luck!
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