Make your cover letter count!

I often get asked, should I include a cover letter and my answer is YES!

If you have the opportunity to personalise your application, make it more human and it’s an opportunity to really stand out.  With over 20 years’ recruitment experience, the number of times that I can be completely sold on an applicant from the covering letter BEFORE I’ve even looked at the CV.  It’s your opportunity to bring your application to life and tell your story.

So, let me share my top 5 tips to help your covering letter get you an interview.

Formalities: Starting with the company name, position applied for , recruiter / hiring manager name is basic information that needs to be at the top of the covering letter.

Contact details: Before finishing off the letter, please leave your LinkedIn address, email address and phone number.

Connection:  As humans, we all thrive on connection so highlighting your connection to the company, the role or even the industry itself, is really powerful.  Telling the recruiter why you specifically want to work for that company e.g. your love of the product and the impact that it has had on you or the values of the business are closely aligned to yours so your desire to fulfil the particular role is strengthened.

Your transferable skills: Highlight the ones that are relevant to the role that you’re applying for – this is an opportunity to let the hiring manager/ recruiter know exactly how suitable your skills are.

Value add: How are you going to add value to the organisation if you were successful in getting the role? How would you specifically solve their problem? If a company wants to hire someone, it’s because they have a problem that needs solving.

Make your Cover Letter Count

I often get asked, should I include a cover letter and my answer is YES!

If you have the opportunity to personalise your application, make it more human and it’s an opportunity to really stand out.  With over 20 years’ recruitment experience, the number of times that I can be completely sold on an applicant from the covering letter BEFORE I’ve even looked at the CV.  It’s your opportunity to bring your application to life and tell your story.

So, let me share my top 5 tips to help your covering letter get you an interview.

Formalities: Starting with the company name, position applied for , recruiter / hiring manager name is basic information that needs to be at the top of the covering letter.

Contact details: Before finishing off the letter, please leave your LinkedIn address, email address and phone number.

Connection:  As humans, we all thrive on connection so highlighting your connection to the company, the role or even the industry itself, is really powerful.  Telling the recruiter why you specifically want to work for that company e.g. your love of the product and the impact that it has had on you or the values of the business are closely aligned to yours so your desire to fulfil the particular role is strengthened.

Your transferable skills: Highlight the ones that are relevant to the role that you’re applying for – this is an opportunity to let the hiring manager/ recruiter know exactly how suitable your skills are.

Value add: How are you going to add value to the organisation if you were successful in getting the role? How would you specifically solve their problem? If a company wants to hire someone, it’s because they have a problem that needs solving.