How to Write a Cover Letter, 11 Tips To Get You Noticed
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter is a short formal note written directly to the hiring manager or recruiter reading your application. You only have seven seconds to make an interview-winning first impression. Your cover letter is an opportunity to show off your personality and stand out amongst the competition.
While your CV offers a high-level snapshot of your career experience, your cover letter should focus on who you are and what you want to achieve in your career. It’s an opportunity to spotlight your skills, personal growth, and motivations to the hiring manager.
Not every application will require a cover letter, and you will be able to tell from the job advertisement. At CV Experts, our professional team of writers work with candidates throughout every industry to curate CVs and cover letters that leave a lasting impression. Our ATS-compliant CVs and cover letters have helped hundreds of clients unlock their potential.
We’re sharing our top tips on how to write a cover letter that will get you noticed.
1. Understand why you’re writing a cover letter
Before you sit down to stare at a blank document, you need to understand the purpose of a cover letter. It’s an opportunity to tell the hiring manager about more than just your work history. Employers are increasingly looking for ‘soft skills’ and well-rounded candidates who have critical thinking skills and can hit the ground running. Your cover letter can show potential employers that you’ll fit into their company culture.
2. Add a first-paragraph hook
Have you ever opened the first page of a book and been instantly pulled in? That’s a hook. It grabs your attention right away and has you wanting to find out more. The first paragraph of your cover letter serves the same purpose. Focus on your unique selling point (USP) and hook in the hiring manager by showing what you can bring to their organisation.
3. Don’t rehash your CV
One of the most common mistakes people make with their cover letters is rehashing their CVs. These two documents serve different purposes and should not be summaries of each other. After all, your CV is on the next page. Your cover letter is valuable real estate and a rare opportunity to talk about your experience and skills outside your work history. Your CV and cover letter should complement each other but not be the same information reformatted.
4. Do your research. Avoid ‘whom it may concern’.
Before writing your cover letter, research the company. Your cover letter should be tailored to each of the companies you’re applying to, even more than your CV. Go onto the company’s website and get a feel for its values and ethos by researching its mission statement and marketing material.
Check out its social media profiles and LinkedIn to see what issues they’re discussing or promoting. It’ll give you a feel for where the company currently is and its plans for the future. You can tailor your cover letter to show where you could fit into these future plans.
During your research, try to find the hiring manager’s name. It’s more personal to address your cover letter directly to them, rather than using ‘whom it may concern’. Double-check the job advertisement to see if their name is included there.
5. Focus on your value and the future
Your cover letter is an opportunity to highlight the value you can bring to a company. During your research, identify potential problem areas for the company and set yourself up as a solution. You want to portray yourself as an adaptable person and a quick learner.
While your CV is a chance to reflect on your experience, your cover letter is where you should be focusing on the future. Use your cover letter as a bridge between your career so far and where you want to go with your next steps. 18% of candidates include projects and side hustles that show their additional skills and experience beyond their professional careers.
6. Prove your experience, don’t just talk about it
Give your cover letter more authority by asserting your experience with examples. Most recruiters will ignore self-assessments that are full of superlatives and little substance. Use your cover letter to demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the role with information to support your claims.
7. Be mindful of tone
Your cover letter is an opportunity to talk about yourself, but tone is crucial. You want to stay authentic without overdoing it with egotism. Your tone should be mature and professional throughout. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and read through your cover letter, asking if the tone is the same one they would use with one of the company’s customers or clients.
8. One page max
It’s easy to get carried away with your cover letter, especially once you get into the zone. The ideal length for a cover letter is under one page. Most recruiters don’t have the time to sit and read through several pages of applications. Keep your cover letter concise.
9. Ask someone to proofread
By the time you finish your cover letter, you probably don’t want to look at it again. That’s how typos, grammatical errors, and incorrect information fall through the cracks. Get a second set of eyes on your work to spot any mistakes.
It’s also a good idea to ask for feedback, and be specific on what sort of feedback you want. Ask a friend or colleague to read your cover letter and see if they can summarise your main points.
10. Address anything unusual in your cover letter
Your cover letter is an opportunity to add context to your CV. If you’re returning from a career break or changing industries, your cover letter is where you should explain your reasons why.
Alternatively, you can add context to why you’re applying for a job in a different geographical area or a position you may seem overqualified for. Without this context, recruiters are likely to send your application straight to the rejection pile.
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You’ll work with a dedicated writer on your CV and cover letter who will be matched with you to suit your background and requirements. They’ll work with you until you’re 100% happy with your application, with unlimited revisions. Are you ready to take the next step up the career ladder? Let CV Experts write your cover letter and make sure your application gets noticed.
