Cover Letters: Your Hook for Employers

When applying for jobs, most applications typically require a cover letter along with your resume. Even if it is optional, it is still recommended that you submit one to give you that extra edge.

Cover letters provide employers with more detail on how your skillset aligns with the job role, what you can bring to the table and why you want to work for them. In short – it helps them develop a better understanding of who you are as a candidate and if you would be a good fit for them.

Here is how you can write up a cover letter that stands out:

1. Customise your letter

Each job entails its own set of description and requirements. As such, cover letters need to be tailored to these specific scopes and responsibilities. The same research that you did for your resume should be applied here as well, since you will need to know how to link the two together as one comprehensive set.

It can be tough to keep changing the contents of your cover letters, especially after sending application after application. But tell yourself this — a cover letter is a potential opportunity for you to tell prospective employers about who you are, showcase why they should hire you and make yourself stand out from the rest.

Before you hit that send button, check, double-check and triple-check for any glaring mistakes, be it typos, grammatical errors or otherwise. Ensure that it is not too choppy or wordy. If you are worried about missing anything out, consider having someone else review it for a second opinion.

In addition, your cover letter should only be about a page long at best, so take note of your word count. Your Career Coaches are available to provide feedback on your cover letter, so feel free to book a session with them via GEMS.

2. Check for any mistakes The Ideal Cover Letter Template:

(Name) (Address) (Mobile Number) (Email Address)

(Date)

(Hiring Manager’s Name) (Their Job Title/Description) (Their Department Name) (Company Name) (Company Address)

Dear Mr/Ms _______ (Hiring Manager’s Name)

Application for the Position of (Job Name)

First paragraph

• State the purpose of your letter, and where you found the job opening (from their company website, LinkedIn, etc.) • Give a short introduction about yourself • Show genuine interest in the company by showing your research on them, or bringing up speaking to someone who works there • Tell the recruiter why you want to work for this company

Second paragraph

• Highlight your more significant and relevant skills/knowledge • Provide examples for the above to increase credibility. Show the recruiter that you have the right skills and knowledge for the job, and why you are a perfect fit for them

Last paragraph

• Thank the recruiter for considering your application • Request an interview (be it face-to-face or online) • Include your contact information should they wish to reach out to you • End on a positive note

Yours sincerely, (Your Name)

Cover Letter Sample

Anna Sim XYZ Road, S354123 Mobile: 9234 5678 Email: anna.sim@sutd.edu.sg

23 July 2022

Mr Richard Lim HR Manager Human Resources Department ABC Company CVR Road, S654321

Dear Mr Lim,

Application for the Position of Data Analyst

I am writing to express my interest in applying for the position of Data Analyst in ABC Company. I am currently pursuing my studies at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and am expected to graduate in August 2022 with a GPA of 4.20/5.00. I am interested to join your company after speaking with Ms Jamie Teo, your CEO, during the Industry Networking Fair in 2021. I was impressed by the continued foresight and ambition of ABC Company in the face of the changing economy, and I am excited to be part of this great team that provides innovative solutions across five countries.

During my course of study, I have completed courses in machine learning, data science and natural language processing, and was honoured in having one of my projects be published in Fusion, one of SUTD’s monthly newsletters. In addition, I was tasked in my third year to lead 5 other team members to work with BikeClub to analyse their data. I provided correlations and insights to improve and optimise their current productivity, efficiency and services. I utilised various programming languages throughout the process, including R language, Python and Visual Basic Application in order to process and present my findings. Our client was extremely pleased with not only our analysis but the solutions we proposed as well.

Please refer to my resume for additional information on my education and work experience. I look forward to a face-to-face or video interview with you to discuss my suitability for this position. For any enquiries, I can be contacted at 9234 5678 or anna.sim@sutd.edu.sg at your convenience.

I appreciate your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely, Anna Sim