EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
How to write an absolutely impressive cover letter
How to show evidence of fit between job requirements and your skills, experiences, and knowledge
The cover letter is the most important part of your job application and you need to absolutely nail it.
It is where you tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above hundreds of the other candidates.
What do employers look for in cover letters?
- 33% Tailored skills from the job description
- 26% Clarity (well-written, formatted, specifying job applied to)
- 20% Details from your CV (additional accomplishments, explanation of any gaps, etc.)
- 19% Your value, not the basics, why we should hire you
- 18% Spelling & grammar
- 17% Personal vision & uniqueness
- 12% Brevity
It is surprising that jobseekers often pay little attention to the cover letter. Many candidates fail even to write a cover letter and only submit their CV or application form (big mistake). You need to craft a rigorous and passionate cover letter that will enable you to stand out from the crowd.
Here are my suggestions on how to write a killer cover letter:
Do not repeat your CV — expand on it
- They will already look at your CV — go beyond it. Use your cover letter to show your unique strengths, in-depth experiences, personality, curiosity, and an interest in the field you are applying to work in.
- Expand on the bullet points of your CV to paint a more complete picture of your experiences and accomplishments.
- Do not merely repeat CV content but rather distill the key themes into a compelling argument. Why are you perfect for the job and the company? How do you stand out among hundreds of other applicants?
- Avoid cliches, cut the waffle, and highlight the best bits from your CV. Focus on what is most relevant and impressive about your profile and experiences. Provide examples and evidence to demonstrate these qualities.
Customize for the job advert
- Customize your cover letter for the job. Do not copy and paste the same letter for every job. Ideally, you should write a fresh cover letter for each job.
- Make it personal. You need to demonstrate your excitement and passion for the specific position and company — which means a custom letter for each position you apply for.
- You are looking for the touch that will make your application stand out among hundreds of others. That means doing research into the company, what it does, and how they employ people.
Address a specific person
- Avoid generic letters starting with “Dear Recruitment Committee, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company.” The same goes for generic salutations. Avoid: “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam”.
- Always address a specific person (the person handling job applications — this is usually listed in the job advert). Include the contact person’s full name (Dear Ms. Sarah Brown).
Mention the specific job and highlight your enthusiasm
- In your opening line, highlight your excitement about the company, your passion for the work you do, or your past accomplishments.
- Mention the job you’re applying for (the hiring manager may be looking through candidates for different jobs).
- “I am excited to apply for (this specific job) at (Company).” Include the job advertisement number/code as needed.
- Ensure that your cover letter indicates how motivated and enthusiastic you are. Draw a positive picture of you in the mind of the employer. Show your excitement and passion.
Do research about the company and demonstrate it
- Do some research into the company/organization and include information about them. Google around its history and strategies. Check out their web sites.
- In your cover letter, try to mention cool facts and show your expertise, interest, and knowledge about the company.
- Do detailed research about the company (again): I cannot stress this enough. Things to know include what the company does, its competitors, and where they are placed in the market. This research gives you the knowledge you require to tailor your cover letter to the style of the company, it also demonstrates that you have a real interest in the role and the company itself. Specifically, tell them what you are impressed with and what attracts you to them.
Focus on your contribution: What are you bringing to the table?
- Do not write about how great the position would be for you and your resume. Instead, focus on what you are going to bring to the position and company.
- How will you contribute? What makes you particularly good at getting the job done? Your personality, passion, work ethic, relevant experiences?
- Try to identify the company’s problems that they need the person they hire to solve. Then emphasize the skills and experience you have that make you the right person to solve them.
- Be very specific and clear in how you will bring your contribution to the table. Formulate your unique value proposition. What makes you better than tens, hundreds of other candidates?
Demonstrate the evidence of fit
- Demonstrate the evidence of fit rigorously. You will match your skills, knowledge, and experiences to the top requirements the employers are seeking in their advert or job specification.
- Expand on your previous job experiences and demonstrate how your skillset and experiences will help you in this job.
Incorporate numbers and data whenever you can
- Provide concrete examples, stats, and solid numbers wherever you can.
- Can you show you have created a measurable positive impact for a company you worked for?
- Did you bring in 40 clients to the company? Did you organize more than 30 events? Did you create a 25% improvement in your work processes?
- Such numbers speak volumes about what you can bring to the company you are applying for.
- For example, “I have worked in the professional services industry for over five years and have led a number of consulting teams that have ranged in size from 3 to 8 people. I have worked in advisory roles in contracts ranging from £1m to £20m.”
Focus on your experiences
- Remember: Hiring managers care most (not about your education, but) about your work experience (including internship and volunteering). Do not apologize for your missing experience — emphasize your strengths and transferable skills instead.
Use your own voice and make it personal
- Find your own voice, cut the formality, and make it personal. Find the right conversational tone that will convey how you are genuine, approachable, and great-to-work-with.
- Show evidence that you understand the environment and culture of the company and industry. Get a sense of the company’s tone, language, and culture. Try to put yourself in that mindset and write in that style.
Keep it short, focused, and professional
- Keep it short and focused. In your job application, your cover letter should probably not exceed 1 page.
- Make sure your cover letter is clearly laid out with no typos or spelling errors. Run your cover letter through spell-check.
- Ask feedback and seek help from friends or colleagues. Does your letter excite them? Edit and proofread as needed.
Finish by emphasizing your enthusiasm and strengths
- Close your letter strongly explaining how your experiences and perspective will help you at the job.
- Emphasize your enthusiasm for the company or how you would be a great fit for the position.
- Finish with a call to action. Kindly indicate how they can contact you for a meeting/interview and how you look forward to meeting them in person.
- Provide your signature on your cover letter. This looks old fashioned but it is still very important as it signals authenticity.
- Send your cover letter as a PDF. Every computer can easily open a PDF file.
- Consider using quotes or testimonials that support your application. You might include great feedback you received from former colleagues, clients, or bosses.
Cover Letter Checklist
To make sure you are on the right track, please use the following CV checklist below:
- Is the cover letter detailed enough (delving into the details of relevant experiences, skills, and knowledge)?
- Does the cover letter set you apart? Among 100 other applicants, why should they hire you? (Make a list of the top 3 reasons why you are an excellent candidate).
- Does the cover letter address this: With the knowledge that you have about the employer, how would you help achieve organizational goals?
- Does the cover letter clearly demonstrate how your credentials, experiences, and track record would benefit the company?
- Does the cover letter clearly review your unique selling points?
- Does the cover letter clearly show that you conducted thorough research about this company?
- Is there a reference number of the job opening and is there a specific job title in the cover letter?
- Is the letter addressed to a specific person (e.g., “Dear Ms. Brown)
- Do you avoid: “Dear Sir or Madam:” or “To Whom it May Concern”?
- Does the letter grab the reader’s attention in the first paragraph?
- Does the letter communicate your key strengths at the start?
- Does your letter express how you would benefit the employer if you get hired?
- Does your letter include examples of the accomplishments (i.e. proven success and track record)?
- Is the content unique? Do not copy text from your CV verbatim. Do not repeat your CV.
- Does your letter sound genuine? Does it reflect your personality and make you seem likable?
- Is your letter proofread? Is it free of all spelling/grammar/formatting errors?
- Does your letter avoid clichés?
- Does your letter avoid phrases such as “I feel” or “I believe?
- Is your letter sharply focused? (i.e. no needless detail or ramblings)
- Did your cover letter provide an easy way for employers to contact you, such as your phone number and email address?
- Does your letter end with a call to action, confidently requesting an interview?
- Does your letter thank the reader for their time and consideration?
Takeaways:
- Your Cover letter is where you convince prospective employers why you are a perfect fit for this job and why they should call you for an interview.
- Show your enthusiasm and passion for the company — show evidence that you have done research about the company.
- Make sure you match and surpass each job requirement with the relevant evidence of skills, experiences, and knowledge.
- Differentiate yourself among hundreds of other candidates. Why should they invite you for an interview?
- Where is your contribution and unique value proposition?
- The cover letter is the most important document in your job application, so edit and proofread it until you feel it is perfect.
I wish you best luck in your job search.
Sincerely;
Fahri