How to Write a Covering Letter
Unlike CVs, covering letters must always be tailored to suit the employer for which it’s intended. Whilst they offer a lot of room for creativity and expansion, they should still be as concise and targeted as possible.
Writing a covering letter – what to keep in mind
As with any formal document, you should ensure that there are no spelling or grammar errors, that the formatting is correct and that the content of the document is written in good, clear English. A good covering letter should reflect and expand upon the attached CV, conveying that you’ve thoroughly researched the role and the company that you want to join.
The opening to your covering letter should be snappy and enticing. This is your first opportunity to really grab the employer’s attention so be sure to highlight your greatest and most relevant achievements and experience first. Keep it brief though! You’ll have an opportunity to expand upon them later.
If you have any gaps in employment due to struggling to find work, caring for somebody, travelling etc, this is the ideal opportunity to acknowledge and explain these. Explain not only how the gaps were created but what you learned in the time you were out of work. If necessary, you should also cover the steps you took to get back into employment (e.g. volunteering).
What do you want to stand out?
When you think about the roles that you’re looking to apply for, what appeals to you about them? What do you think you have to offer these roles in terms of experience and knowledge? Which skills would be particularly suited to this role? Make sure that you highlight these throughout your cover letter in such a way that you enthusiastically promote best version of your professional self. After reading your covering letter, employers should be as excited as you are about your application!
Outside of your professional skills, what else do you have to offer? Are you a fast learner? Do you thrive as part of a team? Do you think well ‘outside of the box’? Consider what your personality, as well as your experience, can bring to the role.
What is the employer looking for?
Rule 101! Consider what the employer is looking for from this role. If you were hiring, what would make a candidate stand out? What does the ideal candidate look like? Why would they hire you? To make a lasting impression and prove that their company is at the forefront of your mind, try to match their writing tone. Furthermore, whenever you’re tempted to write “I”, ask yourself if there’s a way instead to frame it in terms of how it benefits “you” or “your organisation”.
What is it about you, your experience and your skills that will benefit the company or the department? How can you improve this business within your role?
Switching career? Which transferable skills do you have?
Whilst attempting a career-move can be daunting, changing career does not mean leaving behind the skills that you gained in your last role. If you’re no longer customer-facing, for example, you’ll still have gained extensive people skills that will benefit you when it comes to teamwork or dealing with potentially difficult inter-personal situations within a team or as a manager.
Sign off
When you’re ending your covering letter, you should be inviting the employer to learn more about you. Acknowledge that you’ve attached your CV and that you look forward to hearing from them in due course. The goal is to appear keen and confident, without being forceful.
Need more help?
Looking for more advice on how to write a covering letter? Get in touch! A member of our team would be only too happy to help…
