Covering Letters That Count: Nine Pointers
Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.co.uk editor
A covering letter can make or break an application – half the employers interviewed in a survey said a covering letter was just as important as a CV. Competition for jobs is increasingly tough; your CV or application form could be one of many and your competitors may well have the same qualifications, skills and experience as you.
A covering letter is a fantastic opportunity to reinforce your CV and tell the employer why you have the skills they’re looking for, why you admire their company/product and why you want the job. Heres how:
Follow a standard business letter format.
Do your homework. Make sure you address your letter to the person with the power to recruit you. And be sure to ask for the correct spelling (or Google them) otherwise your application could fall at the first hurdle. Always use the person’s surname preceded by Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms.
Don’t drone on.
Keep the letter short and simple and try to make it no more than one page long. Aim for no more than a dozen lines per paragraph and vary the sentence length.
Structure your letter.
Have a beginning, a middle and end – no waffle! Make sure each part achieves a particular goal. State the purpose of your letter in your opening paragraph and give the reader a compelling reason to read on. If someone mentioned the job opening to you, use their name in the introduction: “I am writing to you at the suggestion of John Brown, who told me you may be looking for an office manager.” If you’re responding to an advertisement, say so: “I am applying for the marketing manager position advertised in The Guardian and would like to tell you about my qualifications.”
Demonstrate your knowledge of the company.
Try to include something about the company and the industry that Isn’t common knowledge. Don’t go overboard – just make it clear that you didn’t pick this company out of the phone book. Work in a fact or observation such as: “I have been following the success of your company in developing and marketing a line of pasta sauces. This has prompted me to send you this letter along with my CV,” or, “I am writing in light of the work your company is now beginning to do in gene splicing. I believe my previous research fellowship in this area would make me a valuable candidate for your position.”
Say why this job interests you.
Let potential employers know what you can do for them; show how your skills match their needs or could be built upon if hired. For instance, you may have experience with a specific software application that will be used extensively in the position.
Explain your current situation.
Are you graduating or in a full-time job? Can you begin work immediately or are you on a three-month notice period? Remember to include these points.
Check for spelling mistakes – and then check again!
Don’t rely on your PC spell check. A BBC survey of more than 250 recruitment agencies found that standards of covering letters were falling sharply, with common confusions such as “personnel” and “personal” and “wood” and “would”. The worst culprits were those applying for secretarial or clerical work. It is vital to demonstrate flawless spelling, punctuation and grammar – get somebody else to proof read your work.
Closing the letter.
The main purpose of your letter is to get an interview so don’t forget to ask for one at the end. Let your prospective employer know you’ll be following up the letter and make sure you include a return address and phone number. End with “Yours sincerely” if you used a persons name in the salutation, or “Yours faithfully” if you had to use “Dear Sir or Madam”.
Online applications.
You still need a covering letter if you apply for a job via the Internet. Online letters don’t need to be as lengthy, but the elements remain the same. Use professional salutations and always include your full name and contact details.
A good covering letter is essential. It will give you the chance to stand out from the crowd and ensure your CV is placed on the interview pile.
