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Winning Cover Letters
Winning Cover Letters - Ten Reasons Why You Need a Cover
Letter
by Peter Newfield
Your cover
letter presents your intentions, qualifications, and availability to a
prospective employer in a succinct, appealing format. It's your first chance to
make a good impression. A personalised letter indicates you are serious about
your job search. Your CV can give the details of dates, places of employment
and education, but your cover letter must entice the reader to take the extra
few minutes to consider you when faced with hundreds and thousands of
candidates for any one job vacancy.
Winning Cover Letters
1. Do you really need a cover
letter?
Definitely! Just as you would never show up unannounced at a
prospective employer's door, your CV should never just appear alone on a
decision- maker's desk. Your cover letter is your first opportunity to
introduce yourself, present your qualifications, and show the employer you are
a potential candidate for the advertised position.
2. Personalise
it to the company.
Anyone can reproduce a standard cover letter and
hope for the best. Instead, take a few minutes to personalise your letters by
showing that you are really serious about working for the companies you are
contacting. State the reason you are interested in working for that particular
company. Mention a department, a new project the company is involved in, an
acquisition the company has made. Show that you have done your homework.
Address the cover letter to a specific individual whenever
possible.
3. Why are you sending your CV and cover letter?
Cover letters should be clear and to the point. Include the specific job
title, two to three reasons why your experience makes you suitable, and a brief
outline of your career to date.
4. Highlight your strengths!
You may be a great person and never call in sick, but prospective employers
really want to know why they should consider you for this position. Boast a
little! Give a few facts, list relevant skills, and state achievements on your
present or most recent jobs that will be impressive. Increased overseas sales
by 93%? Negotiated new financial loans? Implemented new training schemes which
reduced staff turnover by 15%?
5. State your intentions and
qualifications from the outset.
If you expect a senior personnel
manager or recruiter to wade through a mish-mash of information on your cover
letter before understanding why you are sending your CV, the chances are, it
will never happen.
6. What makes you different?
Emphasise
your skills, talents, and experiences to show how you would be a valuable
addition to the team. If you have relevant volunteer or professional experience
include it briefly in your cover letter. Example: An accountant who serves as
volunteer treasurer for a local charity organisation; an international sales
rep who has lived in Europe and Asia and speaks several languages.
7. No negative information!
Never include personality conflicts with
previous employers, pending tribunals, or sarcastic remarks in your cover
letter. If you are bad-mouthing your present place of employment, interviewers
may fear a repeat performance if they hire you.
8. When should you
include salary/relocation information?
The general rule of thumb is to
always include salary requirements and/or salary history in the cover letter if
a prospective employer requests it. For example: My salary requirements are
£30,000-£40,000 (negotiable). Or: My current salary is
£33,000 at XYZ Ltd. To eliminate this information from your cover letter
may result in your CV getting thrown out. Never include salary and relocation
information on your CV, this information should only ever appear in your cover
letter.
9. Action Steps to Take Take a proactive approach in your
cover letter.
State the fact that you are available for a personal
interview; give your home, work, e-mail, and/or mobile phone numbers where you
can be reached; say that you will follow up by phone (where possible) to
provide any additional information required.
10. Be direct!
A professionally written cover letter and CV can give you a leg-up to
the next rung on the career ladder, as well as opening the doors to a new
career in a different field. A clean, error-free presentation combined with
strong phrasing and solid facts will encourage the reader to review the
attached CV and call you in for an interview.
Peter Newfield is
President of CV writing service Career CVs.
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