So, this is the final part of your CV puzzle – the covering letter! Once you’ve prepared a great CV, you need to make sure it gets read by right person and the best way to do this is to write a fantastic covering letter. In fact, research shows that people who included a covering letter with their CV were 10 percent more likely to receive a response. And the first important point to remember is that the covering letter is part of the CV – not an addition to it.
Tips for Writing Your Covering Letter
Tip 1. Make the person you are writing to feel special. By this we mean make sure you use the name of the person the letter is being sent to, if it is given. If it is not given, it would show initiative for you to contact the employer and find out whom the letter should be addresses to. Using the person’s name shows them that you’ve taken the time to tailor the letter to that specific role – i.e. you are not just doing a copy and paste job on a generic letter. And, keep in mind that recent research shows that those who addressed the covering letter and envelope correctly were 15 percent more likely to receive a response and 5 percent more likely to be called for an interview.*
Tip 2. Use the same paper as the CV – it is, after all, part of the CV. It’s wise to use a good quality paper, but keep in mind what last week’s blog said about being ‘creative’ – coloured paper, fancy fonts and informal layouts are a big no-no!
Tip 3. Now concentrate on keeping the content concise and to the point. You can do this by keeping the question the employer will have in his/her mind in yours too. That question will be ‘Why should I interview you?’ Make sure you point out the most relevant experience immediately. Don’t waffle about your home life, what your ambitions are or what you want from the position – simply tell them why you are the most suitable person for the job. Your letter should not go over one A4 page. If it does, it’s too long!
Tip 4. It is always a good idea to show the employer that you have taken a little time to research and understand the company, and the work you could be asked to do. So you could state what attracted you to the company or career path, how your interest in the industry began and so on.
Tip 5. Say when you can start work. Most working people have to give a period of notice which is usually one month. But this can vary from employer to employer so it’s best to make it clear what your period of notice is and when you will be able to start your new position.
Tip 6. Proofread! This is important for any writing you send out into the world to be read by others. You should make sure that you choose and spell words and use grammar correctly or you risk looking like you either cannot be bothered to do it right or you do not know that you are making errors. Either way, both conclusions give a bad impression and could lower your chance of getting an interview by 26 percent!* As always, put your writing to one side for a day or two and then come back to it. With fresh eyes, hopefully any errors will jump out at you.
That’s it for this week. Next week, we’ll look at what structure you should give your covering
letter and what should go in each section.
* http://www.forum3.co.uk/
