fbpx

Cover Letters

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job Application

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job Application

Cover letters are not always required.  However, a cover letter is a way for you to highlight the relevance of your experience and achievements for a particular job.

You can strengthen your application by carefully targeting it at the job for which you are applying.

A cover letter is your introduction to the employer.  It highlights your best qualities and how you would bring value to the employer. Your job is to keep the reader’s interest throughout the letter and to make them eager to read your resume.

You can explain issues that are not apparent from your resume. You may clarify in the letter why you are seeking employment with that particular company or why you are unemployed or why there is a gap in employment.

Do I always need to include a cover letter with my resume?

Yes. You may feel it is a waste of time as some employers don’t bother reading them.  However other employers see them as evidence that you are thorough and serious about opportunities with their company and serious about your job search.

What cover letter format should I use?

Write it in standard business letter format with your information at the top in the identical format as it appears on your resume.

How long should it be?

Don’t submit more than one page. Hiring personnel have limited time and will not read more than several paragraphs. The cover letter simply highlights what is to come on the following resume.

Should I include salary information?

It depends. Generally, you should never include salary information or requirements in a cover letter. However if the job advertisement states that it is required, then you need to include it. As a rule though, salary discussion should not come into play until after a first interview unless the employer brings it up.

Can I use the same cover letter for every job for which I apply?

Target every cover letter to each specific job and company to which you apply. If you don’t, your letter will not highlight the most relevant qualities you would bring to a specific job. If you submit a cover letter that is clearly not written for that specific position you will give the impression that you are too lazy to bother tailoring your cover letter. A smart suggestion is have one general cover letter saved on your computer that you alter a bit for each company or each job for which you apply.

What if I don’t know the name of the addressee?

Do not address the cover letter to Human Resources and write “Dear Sir or Madam”. Find out the name of the person who will be reviewing resumes to determine which candidates to interview. This demonstrates to the resume reviewer that you took the time to the seek information and personalises the letter. Do some research about the company online or call the company and ask directly. Unless you have completely exhausted all means and cannot find out to whom you should address the letter, you should have a name on the letter.

Should I mention why I am in the job market?

If you are returning to the workforce after a break of a year or more, explain why in a positive manner, mentioning any volunteer work in which you were involved or additional training you completed during that time.

You can explain that your former company closed or you were laid off because of mass redundancies. If you were fired say nothing.

What content should I include?

Discuss how your professional attributes, accomplishments, and experience meet the employer’s needs and are a match to the available position. Just include highlights and do not simply repeat what is on your resume. Your closing paragraph should request a time to meet to discuss employment opportunities.  Thank the person for their time and consideration. You may also briefly re-state why you are the best candidate for the job.

How can I make it stand out in a dynamic way?

Write statements that are employer-focused and value-based. Arouse the interest of the reader. Illustrate the value you bring to the table by referring to your achievements in the resume. Make them keen to read the rest of your application. Consider what’s in it for them and make that clear. Use powerful verbs and industry keywords in describing your qualities, including keywords from the job description. Subtly inject your personality and add sizzle with distinctive impact statements about your abilities (no arrogance though) to keep the letter from being boring.

Read more tips on how to make a cover letter:

Do You Really Need A Cover Letter?

Tips For Writing Persuasive Cover Letters

Designing Perfect Cover Letters

How to Make Resume Cover Letters Get Noticed

4 Tips to Spice Up Your Cover Letter

What Should Be in a Cover Letter

Articles

  • How To Handle A Panel Interview October 4, 2019
    Congratulations! Your persistence and well crafted resume has opened the corporate doors for an initial job interview with a representative from the Human Resources department. You have already performed your research and due diligence on the company and now prepared to allow your personality, confidence, and experience help you to impress your interviewer. After a ...
  • How To Change Jobs – 6 Tips That Will Help You Get a Better Job August 10, 2019
    Your current job may not be giving you the satisfaction you want or your company may be undergoing a workforce reduction and you need to get another job fast. Changing jobs can be an overwhelming experience, but if you do it the right way, it will not cause stress to you. Learn how to change ...
  • 5 Important Tips To Guide You In Writing Professional Resumes August 9, 2019
    As an experienced professional, searching and getting another professional job with better benefits would be easier if you draft an impressive resume. You resume should be without any mistakes or faults and it should sell your skills to the person reading it even before the person meets you. Your resume should portray you in a ...
  • Mastering The Job Search Process June 30, 2019
    To master the job search process you need to understand how it has changed over the years. In the last two decades job seeking has changed.  Competition for every role seems more competitive than ever. The prosperous decade of the 1990s, when jobs were plentiful and money (not to mention credit) was seemingly free flowing, was ...
  • Job Interview Mistakes You Can Easily Fix September 14, 2017
    A job interview is very important to your future career. An interview is the gateway to your new job. The employer is given a first and only impression of you with an interview so, it needs to count. A bad interview can cost you the job you have been dreaming about. Doing your research can ...
  • 4 Tips to Prepare For Your Most Effective Job Interview June 27, 2017
    It is so very important now, more than ever, to have yourself well-prepared for an interview. Here are some tips on how to prepare for job interview to help you present yourself in a positive light and get your prospective employer’s attention. Being well prepared will show interviewers your self-confidence and give you the opportunity ...
  • Tips For Including Employment References in Your Job Search January 15, 2017
    Searching for a job in today’s world is a very competitive task to undertake. While most of us like to think that obtaining a good job is more about our skills and qualifications than whom we know, this is not always the case. Therefore, the references that you add to your resume may be very ...
  • How to Make Resume Cover Letters Get Noticed January 4, 2017
    The job market, like everything in this economy, has changed dramatically. And so have basic job search tools, including cover letters to accompany your resume. Today’s market is ultra-competitive. Your cover letter can make you stand out. Please don’t ever be tempted to copy a free resume cover letter off the internet. It will be impersonal ...

Are You Using The Best Career Change Strategies?

April 3, 2019

  Do you have a career change strategy? Implementing the best career change strategies can be your secret weapon for […]

Read More
work life balance

How to Balance Work and Personal Life

October 16, 2019

You’ve got a lot on your plate. You are respected at work for your achievements. But you often feel overwhelmed, […]

Read More
Career Change Strategies Have Changed

Career Change Strategies Have Changed

September 2, 2019

Are you aware of the best current career change strategies? Successful career change strategies have changed over the last twenty […]

Read More

How to Fight Age Discrimination in the Workplace

September 8, 2019

Fighting ageism in the workplace is all about fighting personal beliefs and attitudes about what older people are capable of.

Read More

How to Write a Resume After a Career Break

March 29, 2017

Even after a two week holiday, it can seem as if a lot has changed when you return from work. […]

Read More
Planning to Retire? Five Issues You Must Discuss With Your Partner

Time for a Retirement Plan? Five Issues To Discuss With Your Partner

September 25, 2018

Creating a retirement plan that suits both people in a relationship can be extremely difficult! This is probably why couples often avoid the conversation, perhaps dealing with the financial issues but not the important lifestyle matters.

Read More

Employment during retirement 2022

March 31, 2022

Look for job openings at local businesses: Many local businesses are always looking for employees, and they may be willing […]

Read More
How to Prove Age Discrimination in Hiring

How to Prove Age Discrimination in Hiring

September 9, 2019

How Can You Prove Age Discrimination in Hiring Like sexism and racism, it is extremely difficult to prove age discrimination […]

Read More
screen shot of animal rescue video

Would You Like A New Pet for the New Year?

December 27, 2014

Every year many people are given new pets, particularly puppies and kittens, as Christmas gifts.  Some of those animals are […]

Read More
Empowerment for Mature Age Workers

Empowerment for Mature Age Workers

March 12, 2019

Career Change and Empowerment for Mature Age Workers As you grow older your responsibilities change. Switching from full time to […]

Read More

Mastering The Job Search Process

June 30, 2019

To master the job search process you need to understand how it has changed over the years. In the last […]

Read More
Finding the Right Recruiter For Your Job Search

Finding the Right Recruiter For Your Job Search

July 12, 2017

Do you need a recruiter for your job search? Choosing a recruiter can have a major impact on your career: […]

Read More

Rebuilding Your Network

April 9, 2017

Tips on Rebuilding Your Network As the economy warms up, more of your contacts are on the move — and […]

Read More
How to Deal With 3 Sticky Interview Questions

How To Deal With 3 Sticky Behavioural Interview Questions

July 12, 2020

The good news is that you’ve been called in for an interview! But wait just a minute, the bad news […]

Read More
5 Tips for Baby Boomers on How to Stay Healthy

5 Tips for Baby Boomers on How to Stay Healthy

August 12, 2019

How to Stay Healthy As you get older, it gets much easier for those minor aches and pains to build […]

Read More

Walking in the Footsteps of Ancient Civilisations in Delos Greece

May 27, 2019

Walking in the footsteps of ancient civilisations in Delos, Greece I won’t try and tell you the history of Delos […]

Read More