Writing a Winning Cover Letter
There is lots of advice on the internet about how to write and present a CV that will get you an interview (why not check out Qatar Visitor’s CV tips here – or even enter our competition to win a free CV Rewrite!)
But the very first impression you may make on an employer may not be your CV. For this reason, you should never forget your covering letter or email – or your CV may end up in the bin without even being looked at!
First of all, what is a cover letter?
A cover or covering letter is a letter or email that you send with your CV to an employer, whether for a vacancy you have seen advertised or to ask about jobs that may be available.
The cover letter is your introduction to the employer and is a great way to show your strengths and suitability for the job. Think of it as a sales pitch all about you!
Here are a few of our top tips for cover letters: -
Who do I write to?
- Address it properly – if you know the title and surname of the person who will be reviewing CV’s, use it.
- If you don’t know whether they are male or female – don’t offend! You may wish to call and find out if possible.
- If you don’t know the person’s name, use Dear Sir.
How should I end?
- End correctly – if you have used Dear Sir in a letter, sign off with “Yours faithfully”, if you have addressed them by name, use “Yours sincerely”
- Just because you are sending an email, don’t use informal language or forget to address or sign off the email – it looks unprofessional!
What should I include?
- Explain where you found the vacancy/heard about the company – this helps the employer know where to market their jobs.
- Say why you would like to work for this company – this tells them what research you have done (don’t be tempted to say “for the money”. They will not find this funny!).
- Give brief details about your education and experience – and tailor it to the vacancy.
- Tell them why you would be perfect for the job!
Details are important:
- Write a new cover letter or email for each job or make sure your standard letter fits the vacancy in question – remember this is your chance to sell yourself!
- Spelling is vital! Use a spell checker, read your letter carefully, and ideally, get a friend to check it for you – they will spot mistakes that you have missed.
- Be very careful using template letters – it doesn’t look good if an employer gets several identical cover letters.
- Ideally, write your own letters, but if you do use a template, make some changes to fit your experience and qualifications.
- Keep it short – no more than one side of A4 or letter paper (ideally 3 – 4 paragraphs).
Do you have any tips for writing cover letters? Why not share them here?
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Tags: Cover Letter, CV, Job Tips
March 8th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
respected sir, first i thank u to give the correct guidence for ur side.i am an indian came from qatar on business visa.i had completed six month here.unfortunately i didnot get the right opportunity in this state.my education qualification is l l b(law) & mba(international business) &basic computer knowldge. I had five year experience in different area(administration,direct sales&marketing)so i cannot focus a particular area.frankly to speak sir i have no good covering letter to my cv.always the hr wing asked why u select the diffent way?about ur expectation salary? How can answer this question..please help me prepare a cover letter&give the proper guidence about such question. Thanking you, yours faithfully
March 8th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
sir,
i am 47 years old pakistani national working in power plant as senier shift supervisor in operation deep siens 1997 at karachi pak
want to apply for job by you i request you guide me about my job i have a 15 years experance.
with love
abbas ali
karachi pak
March 8th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Dear Aneesh,
This is a very good question – how do you do turn varied qualifications and experience into a attractive prospect for a future employer? How can you convince them that you will be committed to their company and the job?
This is where you need to tailor your CV and covering letter (see our recent post) for more on this) to suit the job, and the company, that you are applying for. What experience and skills have they asked for in their job advert? What does their website say about their company? Write down a list of keywords from the advert and the “About Us” sections of their website. Armed with this information, review your CV and highlight the skills and experience that you have that suit this role and what the employer is looking for.
Your covering letter is your opportunity to sell yourself to the employer, so expand on the experience and skills that you have learned from your different jobs – for example, a lot of roles require you to network, and gain valuable contacts for your employer’s company – your sales and marketing background could prove invaluable here! A legal background indicates attention to detail, and an MBA means you have commercial awareness and an understanding of how business works. With a little time and thought, you can turn your variety of experience to your advantage.
Finally, don’t forget to get your covering letter and CV checked for spelling and other mistakes – nothing puts an employer off more than bad spelling and typo’s – it indicates a lack of care!
Regarding salary expectations, this is always a delicate area. I always try and avoid salary discussions until I have been offered the role – that way I know the employer is keen for me to work for them! Make sure you have done your research – what is the market rate for this role? Recruitment agencies can help here – they gather vast amounts of information on salaries and can give you an idea of what you are worth in a particular role, and whether the company you are interested in pay more or less than the standard market rates!
I hope all of this helps, you might also find it useful to sign up for our Jobs Tips newsletter – the sign up form is on the right hand side bar.
Good luck with your future applications – and don’t forget to let us know how you get on!
April 7th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
[...] Writing a Winning Cover Letter How to Write a Winning CV [...]
May 26th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
[...] My friend is looking for a new job and asked for my help in writing his covering letter. [...]
May 30th, 2010 at 5:00 am
Thank you so much for these fantastic ideas you have made as far as resume cover letters. I cant point out enough just how crucial a impacting cover letter actually, many times much more than the resume, itself!