The Cover Letter is the first item of your application that will grab the Recruitment Agency’s or Hiring Manager’s attention.
With a well written Cover Letter, your chances of getting a phone call will increase. Follow these 5 Do’s & Don’ts for preparing the perfect Cover letter.
5 Do’s
- DO complete a Cover Letter – A Cover Letter takes time to create, but it will assist you a lot in the future with receiving calls and even landing interviews for available positions
- Research the Company and job advert – Research the company as much you can and get to know what it is that they do, what their Mission & Vision is, what Products or Services they sell and so forth. Identify their Company Culture. Does the Company align with your values?
- Identify Keywords – Review the job advert for any key words and ensure that you make use of these key words in your advert. It is simple the amend your Cover Letter once it has been created to suit a specific position.
- Highlight Your Skills – List the skills that you possess that you know the company is looking for and also highlight how you learned those skills.
- Use Spell Check – Attention to detail is important. Avoid any spelling errors or grammar errors. Hiring Manager’s tend to overlook CV’s that contain spelling errors and Grammar errors.
5 Don’ts
- Don’t make it Generic – When applying for a position, amend your Cover Letter to suit that specific job advert. Do not simply change the name of the company and the date on your Cover Letter. Make sure your skills match those of the job advert and add a personalized touch to your Cover.
- Do not address your Cover Letter To Whom it May Concern – Scan the job advert for a name. Have a look at the email address to where you will need to send your application. You may also call the company and ask for a name or have a look at their Website. Recruitment Agencies often are not allowed to disclosed company names until the Interview Screening Process, you can then address it to the Recruitment Consultant you are dealing with.
- Do not use Sloppy formatting – Ensure that your Cover Letter is in the Business Letter format. This is the professional way of writing a Cover Letter.
- Include your contact details – When signing off your Cover Letter, it is important to leave your contact details such as Cellphone number and Email Address so that Recruitment Consultants and Hiring Managers are able to reach you and discuss any suitable available vacancies.
- Do not forget to send or attach your Cover Letter with your CV application.