You must first construct a Resume before you can begin applying for jobs. This demonstrates your professional background, abilities, and achievements. Your cover letter must be submitted with your resume for the best chance of landing a job. They serve as your first point of contact with a company, providing information about you and your goals to potential employers. Most hiring managers choose CVs with cover letters because of the additional information they provide.
In this post, we’ll discuss whether a cover letter is necessary as well as how to write a strong one.
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter serves as an introduction and supplements the material on your resume. It gives you the chance to discuss your application’s driving force. Your cover letter should not only express your interest in the position but also your qualifications for the position and how you would contribute to the company.
A cover letter can range in length from half a page to a full page. To make sure you’ve included enough information to pique the recruiter’s attention, it is advised that you aim for 3-6 paragraphs of 250–400 words each.
When do you Need to Send a Cover Letter?
With hundreds or even thousands of applications being submitted in response to many job advertising, a well-written cover letter can help you stand out from the crowd. Any application that includes a cover letter demonstrates interest in the position and passion for working with the organisation.
Because of the nature of a cover letter, it must be submitted with the CV in order to fill in any gaps or address any concerns. If you are applying from a distance, for instance, you can emphasise that you intend to move. Alternatively, if you have employment gaps, you can include them in the first paragraph and highlight any transferrable talents you may have picked up while you were unemployed.
Finally, it makes sense to mention that you were suggested by someone who works for the organisation because recruiters frequently view a referral as a recommendation of you and your abilities.
How to Write an Effective Cover Letter
A cover letter should complement, not duplicate your CV to create a critical first impression. With this in mind, here are some tips for writing a cover letter that recruiters will want to read.
Do your research
It is essential that you investigate the business and the position you are looking for before composing your cover letter. Frequently, the job description alone won’t provide enough details; as a result, you’ll need to visit the business’ website or social media to find out more about what the business does.
If the hiring manager’s name is not provided in the job description, it is crucial to learn it in order to avoid beginning your cover letter with “Dear Sir or Madam,” which is impersonal and shows you haven’t taken the time to do any research.
Introduce yourself
You should introduce yourself and describe how you learned about the listed opportunity in the first paragraph. If you’re already working, you can quickly discuss your motivations for looking for a new position, such as career advancement, a career shift, or personal interests..
Cover what attracted you to the company
Before delving into your work experience, you can see the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the company by explaining what attracted you to them. This may be because of the company’s values, reputation, services, or products. This allows you to show that you can not only do the job well but that you would also be a good cultural fit.
Explain what you have to offer the employer
You have the chance to highlight relevant experience, particular abilities, and qualifications that make you the best applicant for the position in the following paragraphs.
Using the study you completed earlier, you might discuss how overcoming particular difficulties during your prior employment has prepared you to fulfil the needs of the organisation. The hiring manager can get a sense of how you might perform in the position by seeing evidence of your skills.
Tailor your cover letter
The secret, if you’re applying for numerous positions, is to customise your cover letter to the requirements of each, so you don’t have to include every experience and achievement you have. While you can elaborate on points in your CV in your cover letter, highlighting certain examples in a narrative fashion shows the hiring manager that you are focused on this particular position.
However, this doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch each time you apply for a job. Using cover letter templates can help you save time on formatting and remember essential details, such as the date, contact information, the company’s address, salutation, complimentary close, and signature.
Ending your cover letter
You can use the last paragraph to reiterate your interest in the role and quickly summarise why you would be a valuable asset to the company.
This is also the time to mention your availability for an interview and to thank the employer for their consideration. You can also let them know how best to contact you, whether via e-mail or phone.
When a Cover Letter may not be Required
It’s recommended not to submit a cover letter if the employer also clearly asks you not to, as they will almost probably not read it.
