Your covering letter is your first communication with a potential new employer. Make sure it’s not your last. By Jackie Mitchell, Jigsaw Career Coaching.
Job seekers often spend a long time perfecting their CVs - and then hurriedly compose a covering letter or email to accompany it.
This is a big mistake. You need to see your covering letter as your key sales document. Recruiters will read this before any other information you've attached, so it’s vital that your covering letter helps you stand out from the crowd.
Five top tips
Keep it short
Recruiters will scan your letter or email, so keep it concise. Your letter should be no more than a page in length, with around three main paragraphs.
Highlight your strengths, experience and skills that are relevant to the job
Clearly state the reasons why you are a suitable candidate. If you’re responding to an advertisement, detail three of the key job requirements and show how you match these. Refer to points you've made in your CV, but reword them if possible, or give another example.
If your application is speculative, then detail the key strengths, skills and experience that would be of most value for the role you would like.
Tailor for each application
Tweak your covering letter for each position you apply for. Show you've done some research by saying something about the organisation’s products, services, or issues in their markets.
Make sure you target a speculative application properly
Take time to make sure your letter goes to the right person – the person who has the authority to hire you. Check you have the person’s name, job title and address right. Check your spelling, including all company and people's names, carefully. Focus on the contribution that you believe you could make. Don’t send a speculative application by email, because it’s too easy to delete and may not be opened. If you've been given the person’s details by one of your contacts, mention your contact by name.
Include a call to action
If you are writing a speculative application, ask for a meeting, say that you will call, and remember to follow up on this.
The job search guidance section of CIMA MYJOBS has a series of sample cover letters for:
- part-qualified
- newly-qualified
- qualified (3+ years post qualification experience)
- finance director.
Jacqui Mitchell is the founder of Jigsaw Career Coaching.
January 2009