Should I write a different cover letter for every application?
Not every organisation asks for a cover letter as part of their application process. However, it’s always a good idea to provide one. Why miss out on the chance to tell the employer exactly why you would be their ideal candidate? It is precisely for this reason, that you cannot have one letter to apply for every role. What is ideal for one organisation may not be the same for the next. You need to tailor your cover letter each and every time.
What should I include in my cover letter?
Read the person specification to find out what you should focus on. This will detail the criteria the employer is looking for. This is likely to be a combination of specific experience, soft skills and hard skills. Some organisations also use competencies and they may cited exactly what these are. In your letter show pick out the main criteria and the ones that are clearly aligned to your own. You cannot focus on all of them, so be selective and focus on your strengths.
How to structure your cover letter
Aim for three or four paragraphs and keep the word count below 500. The first para is your intro and should give a summary of the reasons for your application. Try to have one clear and focused message here that will resonate with the reader. Your second and third paragraphs should supply the evidence. Providing examples adds credibility. We can also ‘say’ we can do something. It is is ‘showing’ it by example that the letter becomes believable and credible.
Top and tail or complete re-write?
If you are applying for similar type roles you may just need to top and tail your letter accordingly. Read the person specification and be guided by this. Be careful though, some person specifications for similar jobs can ask for very different things, so always read the person specification first. When applying for very different types of roles you will of course need to write your cover letter from scratch. File your letters in a way that enables you to quickly find relevant versions to any new application you make.
Your letter needs to have that wow factor. So don’t compromise and take as much re-writing as is needed to give you the maximum chance of stand out. You only have one chance with each application so make your cover letter count.
This article is written by Neville Rose, Director of CV Writers. Please do connect with me via LinkedIn.
Check out our CV writing service with details of our packages that include LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. You can get things started with a Free CV review. I am also a qualified career counsellor and provide Career Counselling services for people looking to change career paths.