Why are cover letters so important?

Everyone knows CVs are important. It’s the best way of selling and marketing yourself to employers. But that’s only one part of the job application process. There’s another equally important stage that is often overlooked and misunderstood: the cover letter.

So why is it so important? And what should it contain? A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself , so your first impression, as always, needs to be a good one. This could be the difference between getting your dream job and not. It’s very important. Cover letters are a great way to summarise and show the fit between you, the company, and the role. Here are the benefits, and some tips when writing up a cover letter:

  • The benefits – Your cover letter gives you the opportunity to showcase your talent, enthusiasm and personality, much more than on your CV. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t polish your CV, but you should not write it in a personal way like talking about your taste in music for example. You need to be selective. A good cover letter will sell the big picture of you as a candidate and show what you can bring to the table to your employer.
  • Do your research – Have you emphasised your most relevant experience/achievements? On that note, this also means that each cover letter you send should be different to the last. If you have one cover letter for all your job applications you’re not trying hard enough. Every letter should be tailored to the specific requirements of the position in question. And don’t make a simple mistake – ensure you specify which job you want to apply for because companies and corporations will likely have multiple jobs on offer at any given time. So always do your research on the company, so that you can tailor you letter accordingly.
  • Stay on topic – Lastly, keep your cover letter concise and congruent. Remember, employers don’t want to know your life story, they want to know why you’re the right person for the job. Use no more than a page. Keep it on point and eliminate irrelevant information and repetition. Keep it positive, enthusiastic and professional. A strong cover letter along these lines is sure to prevent you from becoming just another application in the pile.

CV&Coffee has a cover letter writing and optimisation service that can really help you. Click here and see how we can help you with you covering letter, and help you stand out from the crowd.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *