job application writing - importance of cover letter

JOB APPLICATION WRITING – IS A COVER

LETTER REQUIRED?

One of the key issues in job application writing is the cover letter or letter of introduction.

The question of a cover letter came up recently with one client who wanted to know if they should write a cover letter (or more to the point have us write them a cover letter) when applying for a vacant position.

A well crafted cover letter is generally vital in applying for any job UNLESS the application requirements specifically state they do not want a cover letter and just the Resume, or CV.

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The cover letter is often forgotten about and is the poor cousin in the job application process and most job applicants really give little effort or thought in preparing their cover letter.

To me a compelling and interesting letter of introduction/cover letter is THE most important document in your job application arsenal.

A great cover letter will capture the interest of the reader and encourage them to read your Resume or CV.

This is your chance to sell, sell, sell yourself and to get them to find out more.



A Cover letter of a paragraph or two just will not cut the mustard.

Conversely you don’t want to prepare a cover letter encompassing page after page but a good cover letter will be informative, give the reader an insight into your career, provide an overview of your skills and encourage them to arrange an interview.

Following are the key components of a cover letter that every job applicant needs to include:-

Address tag – preferably a name, their position and the contact details of the organisation or company advertising the position;

Date – the date that you prepared the letter;

Subject – identify what position you are applying for – what is the reference number etc;



Introduction – in your first paragraph introduce yourself and state that you are applying for position x and identify what documents you are including in your application – i.e. CV/Resume, Response to Selection Criteria etc.

Content – In the body of your cover letter you need to identify your current employment status if you are employed and what position you currently work in and maybe even detail how long you have been in that position or with that organisation especially if you have been with the same organisation for a while.

If you are unemployed I would refrain from stating that and instead move on to giving a brief synopsis of your career history showing how this experience correlates with the position you are applying for now.



Every cover letter needs to give a brief overview of your experience and relate this to the vacant position.

Then you should provide an overview of your skills and again show how these relate to the position.

For instance if the vacant job advertisement identifies they are looking for someone with managerial skills, team skills and communication skills briefly discuss how you have demonstrated these over your career.

Summary/Conclusion – in the last paragraph or two you summarise your experience/skills, maybe your reason for applying and identify a call to action ie to have them contact you to arrange an interview.



Following these steps will assist you in preparing a robust cover letter. Remember this is your chance to market yourself so don’t waste it.

A great cover letter is vital in job application writing and the skilled job application writer will make the cover letter a winner!

Contact us at Red Tape Busters - http://www.redtapebusters.com/should you require more information about this article or if you require specialist job application writing or grant and tender writing experience to help your organisation or business win grant funding or achieve successes with tenders.




We are specialists in providing the following services:-

Lobbying;

Tender Writing;

Grant Writing;

Resumes/Job Applications;

Organisational/Business Development.

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