Writing a successful cover letter

A cover letter’s purpose is to introduce yourself to the potential employer and it should be brief and outline your skills and achievements and any accomplishments you have made in past work. Your cover letter should be used alongside your resume to outline what you have accomplished in the past, the cover letter should also state why you think you are the best candidate for the job and also what you could offer the company should they hire you.

It should be well written and laid out and just a few paragraphs long, your cover letter could mean the difference between your resume being read and you being considered or invited to attend an interview or not.

Tips for writing a successful cover letter

Everyone that writes a resume should include with it a cover letter, the cover letter is usually the first thing an interviewer will look for, a well planned cover letter will tell the recruiter if you are worth considering and if they should read your resume to learn more about you.

The cover letter should be tailor made for the specific company whose interview you are attending and you shouldn’t be tempted to write a general cover letter and just keep re printing it. Important things to consider when writing your cover letter are:

* Show interest in a particular aspect of the company.

* Keep it clear and concise, summarising and detailing your most relevant skills, achievements and any experience for the job in question.

* Leave clear contact details including your full name, your mobile and landline phone numbers.

* Read and re read your cover letter making sure there are no mistakes, first impressions count for a lot, so double check for spelling and typing errors.

* Always make sure you spell the name of the person you are addressing your cover letter to correctly, using their correct title and making sure the spelling of their name is correct.

* Use the correct title for the person you are addressing the letter to, for example Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr or Professor.

* Use your own initiative and don’t be tempted to copy cover letters from websites or friends, use your own style and wording and keep it personal.

* Make sure that you include information showing that you have researched the company and that you know their past achievements and their goals for the future.

* Make sure that you include phrases and words that are meaningful to the company and the field of work while keeping things clear and concise.