You’ve read many posts about resumes, but the question now is – what about cover letters? Do you need to attach a cover letter with your job applications, or is a resume enough? And while we personally love cover letters, the answer is never a simple yes or no. This will depend on the jobs that you are applying for, and on the company’s requirements and hiring processes. However, we believe that a good cover letter can help to highlight some of your skills and experiences for the role you are applying for.
What NOT to do when writing a cover letter.
Many people treat cover letters as a second version of their resume. They reiterate the same contents from their resume, listing down their background and past work experiences in a letter form. But what they forget is that the cover letter is supposed to add value to their resume, not a direct replicate of the resume.
Similar to how a resume should be tailored for a job application, a cover letter should also be tailored for one particular vacancy. You do not want and should not be using the exact same letter for all your applications, especially since they will require different skills and experiences.
Another common mistake is trying to fit too much information into one letter. We know – all of you are wonderful human beings with many achievements and successes. There are a lot of things you want to share with the potential employer. However, a cover letter is supposed to be concise, a maximum of one page. Keep the rest of the information for the future – you’ll need way more materials for the interview later on!
Focus on your added value to the role and the company.
When writing your cover letter, you want to tailor the letter to the specific vacancy you are applying to. Read through the job description carefully, and pick out the main requirements that they are looking for. Match their requirements to your skills and experiences, and highlight them in your cover letter.
Some people list their relevant strengths and achievements in bullet points, while others write them in paragraph form. Whichever format you choose, remember to focus on the relevant skills that they are looking for, and highlight why your skills and experiences would be useful for the company.
As much as possible, always relate your skills and interests to the company. Show your interest in the company as a whole, not just for the job as a means to get a steady monthly paycheck. Do your values align with theirs? What interests you about working with that particular company? Where do you see yourself in the company in the future?
At the end of the day, your cover letter should answer one question – why are you a great fit for this particular role?
Make it worth their while.
If a recruiter or a hiring manager is spending time reading your cover letter, you want to make sure that it is bringing substantial value to your application. There is little value in using a generic template from Google or copying and pasting someone else’s cover letter as your own.
Remember, just like a resume can be an extension of your personality and character, a cover letter can also say a lot about the person writing it. So if you do choose to include it in your application, make it worth their while to read it.