Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison
(LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how to sell yourself through your
cover letter.
If
you have recently been made redundant, a stellar covering letter is a fantastic
opportunity to stand out from the crowd with potential employers. Particularly
if your previous company experienced mass redundancies; many of your ex
colleagues could be applying for the same role.
Whilst
a CV is your opportunity to inform employers of your skills and achievements,
the covering letter is your only opportunity, before a face to face interview,
to really sell yourself and demonstrate your skills, writing style and work
ethic from the get-go.
The
cover letter could be the difference between you getting an interview, and
potentially the job, or simply being eliminated at the first hurdle.
Take
these tips on board to write your way to your next job:
1. Research: Who are you addressing? Research by
Forum3 revealed up to 60% of job applications are addressed to the wrong
person! I am sure you will agree this does not present a great first
impression. Do your research. Make sure your covering letter is addressed to
the correct person and that the information in the letter is tailored
specifically to not only the role for which you are applying, but also the
company. Take this opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the
organisation and prove your enthusiasm.
2. Content: When selling yourself, try to be
concise and to the point. I doubt ‘rambling on and on’ was listed as a
desirable candidate quality. Four paragraphs is enough to cover when you can
start, why you are interested in a role within this particular company, a
summary of your strengths and skills in relation to the job criteria and
evidence you will be an asset to the company.
3.
Presentation: A cover letter needs to look
professional as it is a direct reflection of you and the potential quality of
your work. Ensure size, font and spacing is consistent throughout. If you are
sending your cover letter via email, include it in the body of the email so
this is the first thing an employer will see.
4. Check,
check and check again:
There’s nothing worse for an employer than receiving a cover letter or CV littered
with spelling or grammatical errors. Mistakes suggest you don’t pay attention
to detail or don’t care enough to do a good job. Neither of which are looked
upon favourably by potential employers.
us on:
0845 456 2269
