How To Write A Cover Letter For Your Dream Job In 4 Steps
Despite many people finding cover letters difficult to write, many hiring managers use them to get an idea of your personality and capabilities before they speak to you. They can help employers decide who they want to meet, or not, as a well-written cover letter can act as an extension of your CV.
In this guide, we will cover the 4 steps to creating a cover letter for your dream job, including some top tips to help you stand out.
Preparing To Write Your Cover Letter
Do a bit of research that you can use to personalise your cover letter. What does the company you are applying for specialise in? Do you know who will read your details? Their LinkedIn profile could give you a clue about topics to include.
Looking at their website, blogs, news stories, and their social media presence will give you valuable insight that you can use in your cover letter to strengthen your case.
Introduction
This is almost the hardest bit!
“Dear Sir/Madam” is always ideal if you don’t know who will be reading your cover letter.
After that, it’s good to mention the job title, where you saw the advert and what you can bring to the table.
“I have seen your advert for an Electrical Engineer on the TotalJobs website and I have 15 years of experience.” It is not a great example as it is straight to the point and not intriguing.
If you’ve researched the company and know that they have Asda as a client; “I have seen your advert for an Electrical Engineer on the TotalJobs website and I’m keen to be considered as I’ve been working on the Sainsbury’s portfolio” will give you an edge over everyone else as you have done your research and have relevant experience and expertise.
Main Content
The main content for your cover letter is where you think about your experience and relate it to the key points in the advert. The most straightforward way is to use bullet points to list the key criteria in the advert and how you are suitable for the role.
For example, if you are an HVAC engineer, you may want to discuss big projects you have previously worked on and which skills you used to complete the project that match those mentioned in the advert. You should also talk about your soft skills and how you can apply them to have a positive impact in a team or within the company culture, but try to avoid using cliché phrases such as “I am a team player”.
If you have gaps in your employment history, you can also use this as an opportunity to discuss what skills you learned during the break.
Conclusion
After you have completed the main content, you should write one last paragraph rounding off why you would be a good fit for the role. You don’t have to repeat everything you have previously mentioned, but just reiterate any important parts.
Finally, you should sign off the letter with ‘Yours sincerely’ if you know the hiring manager’s name, or ‘Yours faithfully’ if you don’t and ensure that your contact details are on there.
Top Tips For Writing A Cover Letter
- Make sure you use a formal tone throughout your cover letter
- Create a new cover letter for every role you apply for, or at the very least have one for each type of role you are applying for.
- Use the same font and font size as your CV
- Check your spelling and grammar before sending it – you should ideally get another person to check it, as they can give advice
- Keep a copy of your cover letter,r as you may get asked questions about the contents in the interview
- Research the company and ensure any information about them is correct
- Do not just recite your CV
- Avoid clichés and vague phrases
- Aim to write half a side of A4 paper, with one page being the max
Call us on 0113 234 6047 if you want to know more about cover letters or find out how we can help you secure the best jobs in your field.
