by Ted Noone of The Skills Company
How important is a cover letter to your hiring process?
A cover letter is expected in most employment applications, except where an employer specifically requests an application form only.
Can you give an overview of a great cover letter?
Opening
The opening paragraph should be short, to the point and explain why it is that you’re writing.Example:
‘I would like to be considered for the position of ‘Marketing Apprentice’’.It is also useful to mention where you found the job advert eg as advertised in the Manchester Evening News, or if someone referred you to the contact, mention their name in this section.
Second paragraph
Why are you suitable for the job? Briefly describe your qualifications or experience that are relevant to the role and ensure you refer to the skills listed in the job description.Third paragraph
Here you can set out what you could do for the company. Explain your career aims and how they fit in with the company’s objectives.Fourth paragraph
Here you should reiterate your interest in the role and why you would be the right candidate. You could also state that you would welcome an interview and you look forward to hearing from them.Closing the letter
Sign off the cover letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ and your name.
What would you consider to be poor content in a cover letter?
- Too much detail, repeating everything in the CV or application form
- Claims that you can’t back up with evidence
If the cover letter is poor quality will you still look at the CV?
It depends on the number of applications. If there are many applications, then employers can be ruthless and discard applications where the covering letter does not grab the attention.
What would be your number 1 tip when writing a cover letter?
Keep it short, to the point, and totally focused on the specific job, not a generic cover letter for lots of different jobs.
