Do your research and don’t waffle – five tips for a fantastic cover letter

A fantastic CV will open a door but it’s a great covering letter that secures you that all important interview.

Most job openings have dozens, even hundreds of applicants, and whoever’s processing them will have an inbox full of similar looking CVs. So we’ve put together a few tips to help yours grab the attention it deserves:

1. Do your research Whatever the business is, make sure to do a bit of digging before you apply. If it’s a marketing company, look at the sort of things they sell. How successful are they? If it’s a pub, look into the sort of drinks they stock. Do they serve food?

If you’re going through a recruitment agency, speak to your consultant and get some information from them about the sort of thing the company looks for.

Look at their website and social media pages and pick up on the tone and language they use. Is it formal, friendly, business like? Try and reflect that when you’re writing.

2. Personalise it Don’t just have a standard cover letter that you wheel out with all CVs. Employers will appreciate it if they feel you’ve gone through the effort of writing the letter just for them. Using the research you’ve already done, make reference to their business and why your skill set is appropriate for them. Some of your skills will be better suited to certain roles, so highlight them..

3. Don’t make it too long Your cover letter should really just be a showreel of your CV. So don’t make it too long, don’t waffle, keep it precise (always remembering to try and use the appropriate tone). Two or three paragraphs is plenty.

Everyone always writes ‘I’m hard working, I’m time conscious, I work well individually and with others’ so unless you’ve got something that backs that up – an award or something similar – then leave that out. No-one’s going to write ‘I’m lazy, late and passive aggressive’.

4. Structuring the covering letter

Before you start writing it, jot down each point you want to make and then structure it out accordingly (bearing in mind the below points about length and brevity).

It should go something like this:

Dear Sir/Madam, (or name of person if shown in the job ad.)

This is why I’m writing to you.

This is a bit about me and what I’m currently doing or have been doing.

This is why I’m great and you should hire me.

I hope to hear from you soon, Yours faithfully (or yours sincerely, kind regards, many thanks) Do not put kisses or hugs..

5. Check it

Check it once, twice, three times. If you’ve got time put it away for an hour or so once it’s written, then go over it with fresh eyes.