WINNING AT APPLICATIONS
TIPS FOR COVER LETTER WRITING An effective cover letter can bring you a step closer to that coveted job interview. Be sure to customise each cover letter to improve your chances.
What should a cover letter include? An effective one-page cover letter needs to, minimally, contain the following:
1
Introductory paragraph What position are you applying for? Where did you find the job opportunity?
2
Your motivations Why are you interested in this field and company?
3
Your skills and strengths How can you contribute to the company?
5 reasons to write that cover letter • They are a good avenue for you to demonstrate your writing skills – unlike resumes, where you write in bullet points and short phrases. • It is an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and motivations for your application in greater detail. • Recruiters may use cover letters to gauge your level of interest in the position. Applicants who do not submit one may be seen as indifferent to the job. • Some recruiters use cover letters to infer a candidate’s personality, which can determine their fit for the role/ organisation. • The cover letter is especially important for a speculative application. The letter gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the employer, as well as to set up follow-up steps.
Tip: Internet-proof your cover letter • Always export your cover letter as a PDF before sending it to recruiters unless the recruiter requests a particular file type. The PDF format lets you avoid any minor corruptions that word processor documents may experience during an online transfer (e.g. formatting errors). • If you are submitting your cover letter and resume through email, write a short email message to introduce your attachments. • You can also run an email test and send it to yourself first to check that the right documents have been attached.
38 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2021
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