Writing a job application covering letter is so important but many people find it difficult to get the words just right. Yet if you produce a badly written letter you may ruin the chances of your application succeeding.  If you could write a really good quality letter it would make the whole process much easier and take away at least some of the stress of job hunting.

Writing a job application covering letter

Your cover letter is generally the first document most potential employers will read, looking for insight into your reasons for applying. So your job is to make sure it introduces you effectively and positively.

Please don’t try to use the same one for every job application. It will need to be different if you are a relatively inexperienced applicant writing to an employer for an advertised role or writing a for an experienced Finance Manager. Equally, if you are a graduate writing directly to an employer or to Recruitment Consultants for senior IT jobs.

Let me show you what you should do and what you should not do.

A cover letter’s primary job is to provoke the reader’s interest. Once you have their interest it must provide sufficient relevant information so that they want to know more about you.

Don’t forget, a good job application covering letter can only create interest it can’t get you a job.

Now when writing your letters you must be sure to:

• Customize every submission so that it is specifically written for this particular job;
• Use an easy style of language with well chosen words and no jargon;
• Emphasize exactly how you are able to contribute to the company or organization;
• Illustrate your knowledge, interest and enthusiasm for the advertised job;
• Explain why you are interested in joining their organization;
• Illustrate how your skills match the job description;
• Check your letter carefully for any spelling errors or other typos;
• Use the formal style of address when you send your letter by name to the person advertising.

You will also find that your job application will get much better results if you always try to show that:

1. You know what employers want;
2. Your strengths have the edge over the competition;
3. You tailor your approach to meet their specific employer’s needs.

The obvious things to avoid that point to badly written or presented cover letters include:

• The same job application covering letter has been photocopied or obviously used for another job;
• The cover letter doesn’t attach all the information the employer requested;
• The letter contains spelling, grammar or typo errors;
• Your skills and qualifications don’t match the job description or person specification;
•  No obvious effort has been made to show you interest in THIS job.

The importance of a great job application covering letter must not be overlooked, get this right and the rest of the job application process follows through much easier.

If you need more specific guidance on writing a great job application covering letter,  just visit: writing your CV cover letters.