How to write an eye-catching cover letter

In a recent article, we wrote about the importance of cover letters, and how the right mix of tone, confidence and formality can be the key to getting a recruiter or hiring manager to read not only the cover letter, but then your CV. In this article, we concentrate on the content of cover letters, and how to make sure you are including the necessary information to catch the eye of the reader.

The purpose of a cover letter

A cover letter adds focus to and complements your CV.

Your resume should include detailed information about your educational background and work experience. A cover letter is ideally never more than one page, and zeros in on how your skills, experience and interest match the job you’re applying for.

Many employers and recruiters read the cover letter first. Some will not even look at your CV if they aren’t satisfied with the content of your letter.

The flow of the letter

Always include your name and contact details, followed by the name and address of the recipient.

Address the cover letter to the recipient if possible.

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23 Brown St
Epping NSW 2121
asample2@gmail.com
0499 999 444

18 May 2017

Ms Susan Smith
Marketing Services Manager
ABC Company Ltd
Level 16, Century Place
Melbourne VIC 3000

 

Re: Application for the position of Digital Manager

Dear Ms Smith

Please find attached my application for the position of Digital Manager.
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Start the body of the letter with a brief introduction about yourself. Then mention the job you’re applying for, why it is attractive to you, and why you want to work for the employer.

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Currently employed as a digital marketing officer, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, and have in-depth knowledge of a broad range of digital communication software tools and web content management systems.

I believe this role would allow me to make full use of my creative and digital marketing skills, whilst also fulfilling my passion to work within an organisation in the property sector.

—————————————————————————————————————————————

The second paragraph is where you ‘sell’ your unique skills and attributes for the role. Give a snapshot of your relevant skills and experience, and maybe education, tailored to the job description. Highlight what you can bring to the job and the company.
If the job advertisement requires you to address selection criteria, give some practical examples that demonstrate that you possess those skills. This will likely make your letter a bit longer, so keep to the point and use short sentences.

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Skills and experience I would bring to this position include:

• 6 years’ experience within both creative agencies and digital media companies
• Project management and campaign implementation experience, successfully delivering marketing initiatives on time and within budget
• Innovative and creative thinking, coupled with strong planning and organisational ability
• Leadership and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to effectively manage key stakeholders throughout pitch, approval and delivery process.
• Curiosity, enthusiasm and interest to be ahead of the curve though self-education and knowledge building with respect to current market trends and technologies.

From my research, I understand that your company has recently been working with the Southern Housing Cooperative to deliver well-designed community housing with a strong focus on sustainability to the community in that area of Melbourne. During my University study, I volunteered with the Sydney Housing Cooperative. I believe the knowledge I gained of the issues faced by residents of community housing, and my personal values in this regard, would therefore be well aligned with working at ABC.

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Finally, always thank the reader for the opportunity to be considered for the role, and include a subtle ‘call to action’ statement.

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I enclose my résumé conataining details of my experience and achievements to support my desire to work within the ABC business, and to apply my passion for digital marketing and the property industry.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this application. I look forward to the prospect of meeting with you.

Yours sincerely,

 

Alex Sample

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The full letter created from these examples is shown at the end of this article.

Will my letter be read by a robot?

Some initial applications are read by software rather than by a person. This will more often be the case when you are applying to large companies, or to graduate programs or internships, rather than to specific roles.

In these cases, the software will be looking for the keywords mentioned in the job ad in order to rank your application for its potential suitability. So as much as it might seem like you are regurgitating information, using the same keywords as the ad will firstly get the attention of the software, and secondly, of a person reading your application at a later stage.

Some online application systems have a section for attaching ‘additional documents’ (without specifying what these might be). If there is no section to attach a separate cover letter, then attach it in this section, making sure you name it something like CoverLetter_ShiftSupervisor_JohnSmith so that the name shows clearly what it is.

Put your name and contact details (email and mobile) on every page to ensure that nothing goes missing if the documents are printed.

Other tips

• If possible, try to address the letter to the individual responsible for the recruitment. If the job ad is directly from a company, phone up and find out the person to address it to. If the ad is placed by a recruitment company, find out which recruiter is dealing with the applications, and address the letter to them.
• Write your letter in the first person – ie. “I have 4 years of experience in…” – and use clear, direct language. Keep your sentences short, and paragraphs to no more than 3-4 sentences.
• Use the same font, layout and style as your resume, so that the documents ‘sit’ together. This also showcases your attention to detail to the recruiter or potential employer.
• A cover letter will also demonstrate your written communication skills, so make sure you check (and double-check!) your spelling and grammar, and inject your personal style to stand out.
• A great way to show your interest in the company is to mention not only their activities, but also their mission and/or values. Perhaps the company has a program to lower carbon emissions and you are passionate about the environment. This can be a good way to align your values with those of the potential employer, and to catch the eye of the reader.

As we mentioned in our previous article (12 April), job seekers often spend a lot of time putting together their CV, and then tend to treat the cover letter as an afterthought. In fact, it can be what determines whether you catch the eye of the recruiter or hiring manager, and whether they then go on to read your CV as a result.

 

 

23 Brown St
Epping NSW 2121
asample2@gmail.com
0499 999 444

18 May 2017

Ms Susan Smith
Marketing Services Manager
ABC Company Ltd
Level 16, Century Place
Melbourne VIC 3000

Re: Application for the position of Digital Manager

Dear Ms Smith

Please find attached my application for the position of Digital Manager.

Currently employed as a Digital Marketing Officer, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, and have in–depth knowledge of a broad range of digital communication software tools and web content management systems.

I believe this role would allow me to make full use of my creative and digital marketing skills, whilst also fulfilling my passion to work within an organisation in the property sector.

Skills and experience I would bring to this position include:

• 6 years’ experience within both creative agencies and digital media companies
• Project management and campaign implementation experience, successfully delivering marketing initiatives on time and within budget
• Innovative and creative thinking, coupled with strong planning and organisational ability
• Leadership and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to effectively manage key stakeholders throughout pitch, approval and delivery processes
• Curiosity, enthusiasm and interest to be ahead of the curve through self-education and knowledge building with respect to current market trends and technologies.

From my research, I understand that your company has recently been working with the Southern Housing Cooperative to deliver well-designed community housing with a strong focus on sustainability to the community in that area of Melbourne. During my University study, I volunteered with the Sydney Housing Cooperative. I believe the knowledge I gained of the issues faced by residents of community housing, and my personal values in this regard, would therefore be well aligned with working at ABC.

I enclose my résumé containing details of my experience and achievements to support my desire to work within the ABC business, and to apply my passion for digital marketing and the property industry.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this application. I look forward to the prospect of meeting with you.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Sample