Cover Letter (Part 1): Is it important?

You found an exciting new job posting and are getting ready to submit your CV, but what about a cover letter? Is it always necessary to spend time writing a cover letter, or are there times you can get away without one? Experts say, “Skip the cover letter, and you miss out on an opportunity to sell yourself,”

A good cover letter is essentially a sales document, consider it as your sales pitch that you should design to convince the employer of what an asset you will be to the company.

When designing a cover letter, remember the employer is probably receiving hundreds of applications for any one job. They will be stressed out and very, very busy. You have a window of opportunity of no longer than 30 seconds to convince them to take your application to the next step and read the CV.

Cover letter should be taken in as an excellent opportunity

·          To impress the employer

·          To showcase your skills / individuality / personality

·          To induce the employer to read your CV

·          To stand above the crowd and

·          To get an interview

The covering letter is the first impression you give to an employer. It personalises your CV and provides you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm and suitability for a specific job. The quality of your covering letter can determine whether an employer will even read your CV

Key points for great cover letters

·          Each letter should match the job. Do not send a standard letter under any circumstances!

·          Avoid copying directly from models of covering letters that you think look good. Use your own words.

·          Always keep a copy of everything you send to a company when making a job application. This will be useful later – for example, during your interview preparation.

Remember, “A good cover letter doesn't guarantee you a job, but yes, if done wrong, IT CAN COST YOU THE JOB!!!”

Raj Singh

Employment Consultant