How to write a memorable cover letter Writing a good cover letter is often underestimated and forgotten in the world of impressive CV’s and fancy designs. A cover letter can get your from being an average candidate, to making it over the line and getting called in for an interview. The person looking at your cover letter is searching for that “extra”. What can you bring outside of your school and previous work experience? Therefore, we recommend putting some time into the cover letter and going the extra mile for the reader to be able to get to know you. But don’t take this as an opportunity to write a full life story – it should be to the point!
A cover letter brings the extra attention Most applicants today actually submit their CV through an online system where it’s optional often to add a cover letter. So, when it’s optional, we can guarantee you that many did not bother to do it. And that is the reason you should. Do research You should write the cover letter intended for the role and the work place you are applying for. Therefore, it’s a given that you need to get to know the company and who they are. What are their values, what is their future goals and what can you contribute with here? Why should you be their new perfect match to culture, job, company, and vision?
Share examples from own experience Examples is a good way to show that you have handled previous similar cases and the reader get an impression of how you got through it. In this way, the hiring manager knows what they can expect from you if a similar situation strikes again. This also shows that you can understand what the company needs from you in a future role.
Big words are nice but write as yourself in honesty - with a punchline! A cover letter should be, as we mentioned, to the point. It should be informative but also give a picture of your personality. Start off with a strong start (Maybe even the punchline should be the first sentence) and tell them why you want to apply and why exactly this role.
Keep it short A hiring manager is reading a lot of CV’s and application. Make it easy for the person to look and catch the Hiring Manager at once with a shorter and concise text making them interested to invite you for an interview.
What should you avoid? Being funny can sometimes work, but usually it does not fit into a cover letter. Keep it professional. Also, writing very general because you are applying for many jobs is often seen through very fast from the Hiring Manager and will get you to the bottom of the application list. Using too big words that is often a cliché will not give you any points either. As we mentioned, be yourself and not anyone else! Good luck writing your memorable cover letter!
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