Writing a cover letter can be a real pain. This is because a cover letter cannot be too long, but it must also contain enough information to give the reader a good picture of your personality. In addition, the letter must convince the reader of your knowledge and skills, while at the same time you mustn’t come across as arrogant.
In brief: how do you write a good cover letter, one which gives the reader an accurate picture of your personality and at the same time convinces the reader to invite you for a job interview?
You can find out in the following tips for the perfect cover letter.
Tip 1: always customise your letter
Writing cover letters can take a lot of time, especially if you want to apply for multiple positions. However, it isn’t a good idea to send form letters in order to save yourself some time. Writing a cover letter always has to be custom-tailored work, because only by sending handcrafted cover letters can you truly present yourself as the ideal candidate for a specific position.
Tip 2: present yourself as the perfect person for the job
Obviously, you’re applying for a position because you want to have that job. But why should a company select you? That’s something you have to clearly answer in the cover letter. You do so by presenting yourself as the perfect person for a position, for example by naming the position requirements in the job notice and relating them to yourself. In addition, it is important to always come across as enthusiastic in your cover letter - without overdoing it. So: no exaggeratedly enthusiastic or overly self-assured texts, but a clear, confident presentation of yourself to prove that you’re the ideal candidate.
Tip 3: show that you’d like to work for the company
If you apply for a position as a receptionist, you can say that you enjoy being in contact with customers and colleagues and functioning as the company´s contact point. But why exactly do you want to be the receptionist at this company? Many people do explain in the cover letter why they want a position, but not why they want to work at the particular company. Receptionist positions are offered by many companies, but exactly why do you want to work at this one? Make it clear in your letter, so that you can even better convince the reader.
More cover letter tips
Along with the above tips, you can also consider these other cover letter tips in order to write a perfect cover letter and ensure that you are invited for a job interview:
- Use short, clear sentences in your cover letter. Long sentences in a letter are often confusing and difficult to read.
- Don’t make your cover letter a repetition of your CV. It´s not for nothing that you are sending both documents with your application, so make sure that the letter and your CV are sufficiently different from one another.
- Only describe things that are relevant. That you worked for years at a supermarket is naturally all very well, but if that work experience isn´t relevant for the position you’re applying for now, you don´t have to refer to it in your cover letter.
- Don´t make your letter too long; in fact, make sure it doesn’t exceed a single A4.
- Always have your letter read through by someone in your immediate circle. Nothing is more annoying than spelling mistakes in a cover letter, so always make sure your letter is 100 % error-free.
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