Put simply – cover letters can set you apart from other candidates.
A number of candidates put a lot of time into polishing their CV, forgetting that cover letters are a great chance for you to sell yourself in more detail for that specific job. In your letter you can draw attention to your most saleable attributes whilst explaining why you are applying for the role.
If you have worked in sales you will want to highlight your highest targets and explain how you achieved them, but don’t overlook detailing how you turned a difficult prospect into a core client. Examples like these will show why you are suitable for the role but, importantly, make you stand out from other applicants.
Business consultancy experts Accenture provide some help on cover letters:
So, unless you are asked to just send a CV, always send an accompanying cover letter. An employer might otherwise assume you’re too lazy to write one, don’t have any real interest in the job, or that you have poor written communication skills and can’t write one at all. Any of these assumptions will rule you out just as much as a poorly written and thought out cover letter would have.
You can also find some top tips about writing a job-winning cover letter on Jobsite.
A number of candidates put a lot of time into polishing their CV, forgetting that cover letters are a great chance for you to sell yourself in more detail for that specific job. In your letter you can draw attention to your most saleable attributes whilst explaining why you are applying for the role.What Should you Include?
If you’ve worked in a customer services environment you may have excelled against your targets to answer a certain number of calls, or perhaps you were measured against their outcomes. Did you succeed in helping your employer’s customers, and did you help to improve customer satisfaction? You may also have undertaken some training to increase your abilities in solving customer queries that will be useful to your new employer.If you have worked in sales you will want to highlight your highest targets and explain how you achieved them, but don’t overlook detailing how you turned a difficult prospect into a core client. Examples like these will show why you are suitable for the role but, importantly, make you stand out from other applicants.
Writing the Letter
It’s important that you think about what you are going to write before you start, making sure that what you say is valid and written in a tone that creates an interest in you as a potential candidate. If you’re not the best writer, don’t worry. You can always ask someone to help you.Business consultancy experts Accenture provide some help on cover letters:
- Proofread your cover letter and don’t forget to spell check it.
- Keep it professional, saying you’re cute and fun to be around won’t get you the job.
- Keep everything you write relevant to the job you’re applying for. It’s what matters to the employer that counts and not what matters to you.
So, unless you are asked to just send a CV, always send an accompanying cover letter. An employer might otherwise assume you’re too lazy to write one, don’t have any real interest in the job, or that you have poor written communication skills and can’t write one at all. Any of these assumptions will rule you out just as much as a poorly written and thought out cover letter would have.
You can also find some top tips about writing a job-winning cover letter on Jobsite.
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