The cover letter is the second most important marketing tool for an individual searching for a job. It is used to explain the reason for the application and to convey information that does not appear in the CV. It is also possible to use the cover letter to further explain particular items in the CV. It does however not only discuss the qualities of the applicant but rather its primary purpose is to convince the recruitment agent about what the applicant can do for the employer.
It is a good rule to consider that in some instances the employer starts by reading the cover letter. It is therefore necessary to prepare it with care same as with the CV.
The cover letter consists of three important items
At the top of the cover letter there is information about the name, address, telephone and e-mail address of the sender. Next is the place and date and finally the name and address of the company to which the application is sent. If you have information about the name of the person who oversees the recruitments then his or her name is placed by the name of the company.
You start by specifying precisely which job or field of work is being applied for. If this involves a job that has been advertised you must explain where the information about the job was obtained and why the job is of interest. Following this it is important to provide reasoning in a short and concise text why the applicant thinks that he or she is qualified to hold the job and in which manner he or she feels that the company is going to benefit from his or her work. It is an advantage if the applicant can cite a skill or experience that makes the applicant particularly well qualified for the relevant job.
Finally it is nice to mention the applicant's interest to be granted an interview in order to be better able to explain the application in detail. The letter then is signed off with a short friendly valediction. Below the signature the enclosed documents accompanying the letter are listed i.e. CV, diplomas and other such documents, as may be the case at any given time.
Tips regarding the Cover Letter
- It is a good idea to keep a well made cover letter that can be adjusted according to each job and company.
- It is important that all information is correct and there are no typos or misspelling. Because it is difficult to change the initial impression created by the application!
- It is a good rule to save the letter with the name of the applicant or with the ID-number, preferably as a pdf document.
- The point of emphasis of the letter must be on the job that is being applied for, not on what the applicant has accomplished in life. Be careful not to use the first person pronoun "I" in excess.
- The cover letter is usually half a page to one page.
- It is necessary to highlight the items that recommend the applicant for the job. It is necessary to answer how the applicant meets the requirements that the job calls for.
- It is important to close the letter in a polite manner and have it signed.