First, let’s make this clear: What is the aim of a cover letter? How does it differ from a CV?
CV (Curriculum Vitae) → states specific data and facts: contact details, educational attainment, certificates, courses, work experience in chronological order, employers, job description …
Cover letter → complements and develops CV, gives you an opportunity to explain your interest in the position, describes not only your visions but also what you can offer to the company. This is what a cover letter primarily aims to provide. Moreover, a cover letter helps personnel workers to make a clear image of you before meeting you personally.
How to write a cover letter?
First, let´s talk about the form:
The cover letter includes:
- Your name, address, and contact details in the header
- The name and address of the company in which you are applying for a job, name of a personnel worker
- Keep in mind that a cover letter is a letter/email – do no forget to start with a greeting line
- Divide the letter into 3 parts – introduction, core, conclusion
- It is useful to add consent to the processing of personal data: a personnel worker can thus register your CV in an internal database and offer you a similar or identical job in the future
- Always provide correct and real information
- Check the grammar, if you are not sure, check the grammar online
- Use the same font and design it in the same way as your CV
- A great cover letter is brief, specific and does not include long sentences
Now, let´s take a look at the content:
- introduction: state the title of the position you are applying for and a source where you found the job offer.
- core: Start writing in media res about the reasons for applying for the job and of your opinion about the company. This will immediately make you stand out among the other candidates. You shouldn´t forget to describe your experience and skills in the field, give reasons of how and why you want to develop further in and what you enjoy about the job and what motivates you. It is also appropriate to give examples of where and how you used your skills. In a cover letter, you should also mention your career milestones: you can mention your achievements or some accomplishments that you are proud of and highlight that you are well versed in the field and you want to gain new experience in it. Try to make a connection between this information and your personal characteristics which, in your opinion, make you a prospective candidate for the position: just why you think you should get the job.
- conclusion: Express your belief that you are a prospective candidate and that you are looking forward to meeting a personnel worker.
If you are invited to the interview, be aware that a personnel worker can choose some information from the cover letter and ask you some questions. Be prepared to respond consistently.
Writing a good cover letter requires a good knowledge of the job position. You have to show your potential employer that your qualification and experience fit their requirements.
Our tip:
If the personnel worker does not require a cover letter, make yourself special and explain why you have decided to apply for the job in the email. Personnel worker will remember you and your chances to be invited to the interview will be higher.
