2022 SOFT SKILLS GUIDE

Course 5: Job Search

Tips for Your Cover Letter

When sending job search applications, two things are critical in making a good first impression to get that coveted interview invite: 1) your résumé and, 2) your cover letter. Usually the recruiter or hiring manager will scan and decide in less than one minute whether you may be a good candidate for the job. So, how you write your resume and cover letter are essential. Here are nine cover letter tips that anyone can follow.

Tip #1: Clear structure helps

Make sure your cover letter has a clear structure. Every written piece should be divided into three parts: 1) opening, 2) body, and 3) closure.

  • The opening should serve as an introduction of yourself that includes what position you’re applying for and, in one sentence, what 3-4 skills you have that make you uniquely qualified for this particular job offering.
  • The body should state and clarify your strengths and previous experiences with respect to the position you’re applying for and support your opening – preferably one example illustrating each skill you stated in the opening.
  • The closure should sum up what you have been writing about and ask for an interview.

Tip #2: Length is one page max

Keep it short. This means a cover letter should not be longer than a page. Better not to bore your possible future interviewee! If you’ve written too much, go back and see what information you can omit without compromising the clarity and efficacy of your letter.

Another important thing is not to “cram” your page so that you can fit more information. The layout should be clean and tidy, with spaces in between paragraphs, so as to let the reading “breathe”.

Tip #3: Use bullet points

Views are conflicting in this regard. Personally, I think bullet points can be very useful in a cover letter. Why?

  • They help interrupt a stream of words and make your letter easier to read.
  • The reader’s attention has a better chance of being engaged when he/she can skip through bullet points to find information.
  • They’re useful to highlight important information.

I recommend using bullet points when describing previous work experiences that can be relevant to the job position you’re applying for. This directs the person reading your application letter to what’s most relevant from the company’s point of view.

Tip #4: Do not repeat what is on your CV

Try to make your cover letter an add-on to your résumé. It would not make sense to repeat exactly what’s on your CV in a written form. Think about your cover letter as a way to tell a few short stories about skills / experiences listed in your resume. Think of what you can add that’s important and useful: why you’re the right person for that job; what you contribute to the company/workplace; how your previous experiences make you suitable for the new job; what you’ve previously learned.

Tip #5: Convey why you want to work for them and what you can contribute

Once again, you should focus on your strength and abilities in correlation to the job position. Provide real life examples. E.g. If you’re saying that you have experience in sales, provide information on what your biggest achievement was at your last job. If you say that you learned to use a program, explain what you used it for and why that would be beneficial for the job you’re applying for now.

Tip #6: Be focused

Since you have only one page, don’t fill it up with all the job experiences you’ve had, but focus on those experiences that are relevant to the specific position you’re applying for. What can you contribute to the company? This is a tough question. If uncertain, re-read the job ad; what kind of candidate are they looking for (what they require the candidate to have and what will the new job tasks require).

Tip #7: Provide examples

If you use adjectives to describe your skills, explain what they mean, including a useful and proper example. If you state that you’re social, what does it imply (e.g. you’re good at working in teams)? If you state you’re structured and focused, how does this reflect on your job? Are you creative? What does it mean to you? Is it a relevant attribute for the job you’re applying for? Provide practical examples of your creativity!

Tip #8: Proofread

When done writing, read your letter a few times, check for spelling mistakes (Tip: read it backwards as this tends to help catch spelling errors). Does your writing flow? Ask a friend to read it and give you feedback.

Tip #9: PDF of .DOC?!

I personally think that saving your cover letter as a pdf is better. There’s no chance that some info can be accidentally deleted and lost. I also think that it’s a good idea to save them together in the same file: your resume and cover letter one after the other (in one pdf document). As human resource departments receive hundreds of applications, it’s easy to involuntarily mix up documents or lose a file or even match one person’s résumé with some other person’s cover letter.