5 Top Tips on Writing Cover Letters

Cover letters are the most important part of an application, although the majority of people spend the least amount of time working on them. When recruiters have 100's of CVs to shortlist from, cover letters are the first document they read. You must be able to show that you are able to meet the requirements of the job and inspire the recruiter to read your CV. Here is some guidance to help you to prepare an effective cover letter.

5 Top Tips on Writing Cover Letters

1. Do not mass produce - Tailor your cover letter to the job whenever you send your CV to an employer. Cover letters letters provide a great opportunity to show that you have thought properly about the job and have done some research into the company. This goes a long way with employers.

2. Keep it brief - Keep the letter/email to one page, ideally consisting of three paragraphs and consider using bullet points. You don't need to go into too much detail and repeat information which is already included in your CV. Remember the longer your cover letter is, the less time a recruiter will have to spend on reading your CV.

3. The first paragraph - The first paragraph of your cover letter should express your interest in the position and why you're interested in this job, demonstrating an understanding of what it's likely to involve. You should also mention you've attached your CV and where you saw the advert.Also, say why you want to work for that organisation in particular, referring to any research that you have carried out on the organisation to emphasise that you fully understand them and the way they operate. Describe your career development/ambitions, and tie these in to the activities and interests of the employer.

4. The second paragraph - This paragraph should draw attention to the most relevant aspects of your career, making strong connections between your skills and employers' requirements. Go through the job description and provide three bullet pointed relevant examples of your skills as they relate to the key requirements in the job description. If the advert wants someone "with a background in management" and you've been an IT manager for the past year, then mention this.

5. The final paragraph - Express confidence in your ability to contribute to the success of the company and indicate that you look forward to taking your application a step further at interview. The final paragraph should conclude the letter with any other information requested in the advert such as salary and availability for interview.

Final thoughts - You may already have a Cover Letter and wish to improve, update or tailor it to apply for a specific job. Consider using a professional CV writing and cover letter service.