Posted by CV Writers on Friday, 25 November 2011
Despite the fact that many applications are carried out using
automated procedures online, it may be surprising that covering letters
still have an important role to play when applying for jobs. CV Writers
carried out a survey recently amongst HR and recruitment professionals
that showed a startling divergence in opinions on the usefulness of
covering letters.
Whilst two thirds of recruiters will read a CV regardless of a
letter, a third will only read a CV if the covering letter impresses
first. Clearly then you cannot take any chances, and a compelling
covering letter continues to be a vital component of a job seekers
application.
Here are our top tips to make sure your covering letter works effectively.
Don't repeat information from your CV
Too often we see information from a CV literally cut and pasted
straight into a covering letter. This does recruiters a disservice and
will frustrate the reader when they see the same information repeated
verbatim. It can come across as lethargic, and that's not perhaps the
best first impression to make.
Put all the important technical/skills information in the CV
The other key finding in our research was that over 40% of initial
readers (usually HR) only 'sometimes' or 'never' pass the covering
letter on to the recruiting manager. So there is no point in putting
critical information about your application in the letter as there is a
strong chance that the recruiting manager won't even get to read it.
Keep the covering letter brief
Three to four short paragraphs should do it. Structured properly the
first paragraph should confirm who you are and the job applied for. The
second paragraph should provide a compelling summary of why you should
be considered for the role − especially any key technical skills or
similar projects completed that are especially relevant to the job in
hand. Any further paragraphs should contain any specific information −
such as willingness to relocate − that may affect your application.
Lastly, have a clear call to action.
The call to action
The call to action for a covering is to get the recruiter to read
your CV. Any decision regarding calling you to interview will only be
made after reading your CV. So, whilst there is no harm in saying 'I'll
call you next week to ascertain your interest', this won't in any way
effect the decision on whether to interview you. What you do want the
reader to do, however, is to read your CV closely.
Be positive
Don't give the reader any cause for uncertainty in your letter.
Anything that can possible hinder your application is best left to
interview stage. Once they've met and decided they like you, you'd be
surprised how perceived obstacles tend to melt away.
CV and covering letter: Two parts of one unit
Your covering letter and CV should entirely complement each other.
Presentation is everything so try to use the same formatting, typeface
and point size for each. There should be a logical flow of information
between them and together they should make a convincing case for you.
Follow these guidelines and you can be confident any recruiter will
be pouring over your CV and giving your application serious
consideration.
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