Careers and Jobs

5 Top Tips to Nail your Cover Letter

Have you ever sat down to write a cover letter for your job application and wondered where do you even start? If an application asks you for a cover letter, getting it right could be the difference between getting the job and not.

So how can you make sure your cover letter is on point? We’ve got some tips to help you stand out.

What is a cover letter?

If you apply for a job, chances are you might have been asked to include a cover letter with your resume. But what exactly is a cover letter?

Basically, it’s a one-page document where you get the opportunity to introduce yourself and talk about some of your key skills and strengths. The important thing about a cover letter is that it should be tailored to each individual job you apply for – not only do you talk about yourself, but also explain how your skills and strengths will be beneficial to the company and job.

Why should I write a cover letter?

Most of the time, you’ll be writing a cover letter because you’ve been asked to. If you don’t, your application will most likely go right to the bottom of the pile.

Your cover letter is there to help the employer get a brief snapshot of you and why you might be the perfect fit for the role. So if your cover letter is nothing exciting, chances are they won’t read through to the rest of your resume. Here are some tips to make sure your cover letter is number one.

Do your research

It can be tempting to write one generic cover letter and attach it to all of your job applications. But going the extra mile by addressing the letter to the right person and talking about the job role and what you think you can bring to it shows the employer you’ve done a bit of research and are invested in getting the job.

Highlight relevant experience

Your cover letter should be relatively short and snappy, so you don’t want to list every single work or life experience; try to stick to what you think is relevant to the role you’re applying for. Going for a job that requires a lot of typing? Maybe you have some relevant office work experience you can mention.

Showcase your skills

Employers don’t just want to know what you’ve done – they want to know what you learned from it as well. Even if you’ve never had any work experience in the field you’re applying for, chances are you’ve still developed some relevant skills through other activities. These can be through sport, volunteering, school projects, or more.

Focus on the positives

If you don’t have much work experience, it can be easy to get bogged down into thinking that there’s nothing for you to offer. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t the right person for the job. Make sure you don’t go on and on about how limited your experience is, and instead highlight the skills and experiences you do have.

Edit, edit, edit

Because a cover letter is a first impression, you want it to be a really good one. And this means you should go through what you’ve written and triple-check everything; spelling, grammar, tone. That extra attention to detail can really make you stand out.

What’s next?

Now that you’ve nailed the cover letter, it’s time to start on the rest of your resume. If you’re feeling a bit lost, you can check out our blog on how to write a resume, or even give our super simple resume builder a try.

7 movies that make ordinary careers look cool

Looking for a bit of career inspiration (while being entertained as well)? We’ve found 7 movies about people with ordinary careers doing extraordinary things.

So, settle in, grab some popcorn, and think about adding some of these to your watch list:

Hidden Figures

Think maths is boring? Think again. Hidden Figures tells the true story of three women who were the brains behind NASA’s space program in its early days. There are some truly amazing things you can accomplish with STEM, no matter who you are or where you come from.

Erin Brockovich

This is a name you might have heard before, but maybe you don’t know exactly who she is. The film Erin Brockovich is also based on a true story and follows the title character of the same name as she uncovers a huge scandal with a multi-billion dollar company. The best part is, she isn’t even a lawyer – just a legal clerk – but still manages to find justice for her community.

Unstoppable

If fast-paced action is more your style, check out Unstoppable. This movie is about an out-of-control train heading right for disaster, and the ordinary transport workers frantically trying to stop it.

The Big Short

Finance, investing, stocks…all boring right? Well, when there are billions of dollars on the line, you might think again. This film follows three separate stories of some clever investors working out that the economy is on the brink of collapse.

The Terminal

When a foreigner is stranded at a major airport, he manages to find his way thanks to some regular workers (an air hostess, a janitor, and a baggage handler). No matter what your job is, there are always ways you can help people in need.

The King’s Speech

Imagine you’re a speech therapist, and you get a call for a new client. Then imagine that caller turns out to be the Queen of England, and your new client is none other than the King himself. The King’s Speech follows the true story of a speech therapist that helps King George VI with a speech impediment.

There’s actually a theme with all these movies – they’re all based on things that happened in real life. So amazing things don’t just happen in far-fetched stories, they happen in our day-to-day lives too.

Hopefully you’re a little more inspired to think about where your career could take you.