04/02/2014

The Importance of Cover Letters

Cover letters are a direct way of outlining your skills to potential employers, and also tell them how well you will fit the potential role; in this day and age a well written cover letter will boost your chances of getting interviews, so you should probably start looking at some interview tips.

First of all cover letters are a chance for you to reach the employer personally, and tell them exactly why you are more suitable for the job than any other candidate that has also applied for the vacancy. It will also give them a great first impression of you before you have even met the interviewer, as it shows initiative and a hunger for the job they have put on the market. It also shows that you have put a lot of thought into the opportunity, and of course the employer will recognise and take note of who has made the most effort, which could be the difference between you and another candidate getting the job even if you have the similar skills; extra effort doesn't go unnoticed.

Should you write a cover letter even if they're not required or mentioned? Our answer is 'YES'; it will not do you any harm to put in an extra hour's work to boost your chances of getting the job. That extra hour of writing could be the difference between you starting your dream job and being unemployed for the next six months… The line is that thin when it comes to applying for jobs, especially in the current economic climate.

Are you unsure of how to put together a cover letter? Well, here are a few things you should remember to include when writing.  

• Specific work experience related to the job posting
• Why you are the right person for the job
• Match up the skills required with the skills you have
• Don't just tell them you're qualified, tell them why you're qualified

It's worth emphasising that if your cover letter isn't up to scratch then your CV probably won't even be seen; the truth hurts! Therefore, writing a great cover letter is vital when initially applying for a job. The idea of the cover letter is to give you a fair chance to try and stand out. The employer will think, 'If he/she can't stand out on their cover letter, then they won't stand out in the interview'; that is how important cover letters have become to employers.

Your cover letter is your very first opportunity to impress a potential employer and it's true what they say about first impressions; it means everything and is paramount when applying for a job, employers will not give you second look if you don't get it right the first time… To summarise this blog post, just spend a bit of time on cover letters and realise how important they are when applying for jobs; they are the first step towards you starting your new career!