A cover letter is your opportunity to explain who you are, what you can do, and how you solve problems. You can describe yourself in more detail, show your personality and your professionalism. Finally, a cover letter should promote you and your strengths and convince the employer that you are useful to the company.
That’s why every CV has a convincing companion: the cover letter – the story behind the most important points of your CV.
Why is there a cover letter? Is the CV not enough?
A well-written cover letter gives you the opportunity to advertise yourself in a narrative format and explain to the employer why you are the ideal candidate. That’s why you should definitely write one.
You will make your interest clear to the potential employer and show that you want this position so much that you take the time to write an individual cover letter.
Long letters run the risk of just a quick glance, but there isn’t a recruiter who doesn’t take the time to write half a page of text – especially when there’s a promising resume to go along with it.
How to write a cover letter that gets noticed
Designing and writing a cover letter is a difficult task for many job seekers. On the one hand, how can you maintain a certain form and still write creatively and appealingly? And quite fundamentally: What should a cover letter contain in any case? What mistakes should you avoid? And what structure do you recommend? In this article, you will find a sample template for a cover letter!
With a written application, a candidate sets a first scent mark with his dream employer. And since there is never a second chance for a first impression, not only should the CV be top-notch, but the cover letter should also be adapted to the desired position and employer, both in terms of form and content. What is actually important in the cover letter?
How to write a cover lettter: the minimum requirements
A cover letter should be in the form of a letter, regardless of whether the employer wants the application on paper or by e-mail.
The minimum requirements for this are a letterhead with your own name and address, recipient address, date, subject line, personal salutation, text, and finally the signature.
- The length of the entire cover letter should be no more than one A4 page.
- Make sure that the cover letter is in legible handwriting, is formatted correctly and the text is clearly structured with paragraphs.
- A subject line that contrasts with the body text should be inserted between the date and the salutation. You can safely omit the traditional prefix “Subject:”.
- List the correct contact person both in the recipient’s address of the cover letter and in the personal salutation (“Dear Ms. Doe”). If this is not already stated in the job advertisement, a call to the HR department is usually sufficient to find out to who the application should be addressed.
- The cover letter must be free of spelling and sloppy errors. In addition to the correct spelling of the body text, also check the company name, name of the contact person, as well as date and subject line carefully. Experience teaches that lines with heading characters are often forgotten when editing afterward).
- In order to avoid sloppy mistakes, you should definitely have the application proofread by a second person if you have the opportunity.
- Since original signatures are not possible with e-mail applications, a scanned, handwritten signature should be inserted between the final greeting and the name.
- At the end of the cover letter, you can refer to possible attachments (e.g. curriculum vitae, certificates, references).
Before you start writing your cover letter
You should get to know the company that interests you better. Take a close look at the position you are applying for. Read through the company’s website and, if available, the news about it. You must be comfortable with the company, values, and culture before you apply. Then it is much easier to write a convincing application.
Questions to ask yourself when researching your favorite companies:
- What can you say about the job?
- What are you particularly good at and what advantages can you offer the company?
- How does your personal goal match the position?
- What excites you about the company?
- Do not write your cover letter until you have found the answers to these questions for yourself.
A cover letter is used to briefly explain two key points: your strengths and how they can benefit the company.
Keep these two simple rules in mind and base your cover letter on the information from your resume. Be as specific as possible and work out how your reported achievements and skills from the resume meet the needs of the company.
Aside from the formal requirements, the body text should consist of a few rough “blocks”, each fulfilling specific functions. Let’s take a look at each one of them.
How to write a cover leter: The opening paragraph
The first sentence is always the most difficult. He must arouse interest, but must not come across as pandering or arrogant. It should be rather short and stimulate the interest of the recruiter to read on. If you have a special connection to the company or to your contact person, you should point this out, if not in the first sentence, then at least in the first paragraph.
Points of reference can be, for example, personal conversations, recommendations, telephone calls, but also suitable specializations or projects completed together in the past.
The first paragraph should only be your introduction. Tell us briefly who you are and let the employer know how you found out about the vacancy. Mention how your career goals align with the company’s goals.
Who are you?
What’s your expertise?
How did you find out about the job advertisement?
Why do you want to apply?
Examples of introduction paragraphs:
“I have been following the development and appearance of XYZ for a long time and now I would like to seize the opportunity and apply as a designer.”
“I would like to apply for the position of Business Analyst in XYZ. In the last five years, as an office and business manager, I have gained the professional experience that is required for this position.”
“I am very interested in the position as Project Manager for the next possible starting date. Given the job requirements you have listed in the job description, I believe I am the perfect candidate for the position.”
“I read the vacant job advertisement in the administration of XYZ with enthusiasm. Given the job requirements you specified in the job description and the experience I bring, I am confident that I am the perfect candidate.”
“After we already had telephone contact yesterday, I would now like to apply to you in writing for the vacancy in sales – and I hope that I will soon be able to actively support the sales team of this great company.”
“This year I graduated from the Masonville School of Finance & Management in Marketing. Even if I can’t prove any professional experience yet, I have gained solid knowledge in the seminars on advertising, management, finance, and business, which I would now like to put to use. I don’t want to start my career just anywhere, but where I can fully contribute my knowledge and my passion for marketing and management. I am therefore very pleased that I can apply to you for the YXZ position.”
“I read the vacant job description as a sales manager in your company with enthusiasm. Based on the job description and the experience I bring, I am convinced that I am the right candidate for this position.”
“I would like to apply for the vacancy as a digital marketer because I would like to bring my know-how to your company and continue my track record of running online advertising with you.”
“The vacancy as a business analyst is a great opportunity that I would like to seize. I have worked as an office and business manager for the past five years and have the necessary experience. I would like to put this to work for you, as the creative work in your company offers a lot of internal management and great potential for growth.”
“Although I have not yet been able to prove any direct experience in marketing as a sales representative, I would still like to apply for the vacancy. I know all the sales and communication techniques that are essential for a marketing manager because as a sales representative, marketing has always played a role. I am looking for a career change and would be very happy about the opportunity in your company.”
Once you get started with one of these examples, the letter will just start flowing!
How to write the main body
The second paragraph is about the advantages you bring with you. Why should they choose you? How can you help the company?
This section should explain why you think you are particularly suitable for the advertised position, where your special interest in the subject area comes from, and why the company is interesting for you as an employer.
This section should – like the next one – be coordinated with the CV, but not be a pure copy of the professional experience and training.
You should make it clear to the recruiter why he/she should be interested in you. Highlight some valuable points from your resume that match the job description. Use some statistics to illustrate your efforts and achievements in previous positions.
Why are YOU suitable for the job? From your previous professional experience and your skills, what meets the requirements of the company?
Use the information you gathered in your research. Emphasize how YOU can help the company achieve its goals.
Describe your career goal in relation to the position you are applying for. Include the skills and experience the job posting is asking for.
Examples of the body of a cover letter
“In the past four years, I have worked on various design projects involving websites, out-of-home campaigns, print advertising, brand logos, and book illustrations. Thanks to Adobe Creative Suite and a great team, we were able to implement a total of 70 websites for brands such as XXX, YYY, and ZZZ Magazine. My extensive knowledge ranges from the first idea to brand strategy and I would like to put that to use with you and your customers like ZZZ and YYY. In addition, I would be happy to support you with both pitches and day-to-day business.”
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“I am a business analyst with many years of professional experience. In recent years, for example, I have made workflows 20% more efficient using modern digital tools. I can perform SWOT analysis, case, data and business process modeling while consistently exceeding monthly goals. XYZ’s current annual sales growth is 3.2%, but I’m confident of doubling it in the coming 10 months. I would be happy to put my skills to the test with you.”
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“I have been working in digital advertising and marketing for over three years. What excites me most about it is the dynamic environment that I encounter daily with my creativity. Together with the XYZ team, I develop modern and innovative solutions for more than 45 customers, manage projects with a budget of more than 30,000 euros and deliver creative concepts that go viral, such as YYY’s XXX campaign with over 19 million calls. XYZ, with its famous campaigns like X and Y, would be the perfect place to bring my work experience and skills to bear.”
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“In the last four years, as an office assistant, I have acquired many administrative skills and always kept to the tight schedule. My responsibilities included writing multiple reports and various business forms for a 20-person office team, answering 100+ calls and emails daily, scheduling internal meetings, and managing managers’ calendars. With my skills and experience in administration, I would make an excellent addition to the XYZ team.”
“During my studies, I participated in a joint web-based marketing project for the global company “Hellet Inc.”, during which we performed four complex web analyzes, created digital campaigns for Google AdWords and Facebook, and developed strategies that the company subsequently implemented. We used an advertising model similar to that of the XXX and YYY campaigns. As a member of the Business School Student Board, I also organized various events and developed the display advertising for partners of the events, which was later used as a best practice by the university’s student council. With my creativity and passion in the field of marketing and my perseverance, I would be an excellent addition to the XYZ team.”
Remember, you should bring the most important and glorious achievements to this section. Everything you say should be verifiable.
How to write a call to action
The cover letter should end appropriately with the last paragraph and refer to an action by the employer. Remind the hiring manager what you described in the first and second paragraphs (how your experience or skills help the company).
That’s the point of a cover letter: a call to action. Let the recruiter know that you would also like to come to the interview. But be careful: if the last paragraph is too long, it will weaken your call to action.
Examples of the cover letter’s call-to-action
“I would love to introduce myself in person to share my experience, learn more about your graphic design needs and discuss how I can support the team. I would be very happy to receive a call or an email from you.”
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“I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to discuss your business goals and opportunities in person.”
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“I would be happy to convince you of my knowledge and my eagerness to learn in a personal meeting, discuss the needs of your company and find ways in which I can support you.”
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“I hope that my administrative skills, the knowledge I have acquired and my passion have aroused your interest and I would be very happy to convince you in a personal conversation that I am the optimal addition to your team.”
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“I would be very happy to learn more about your needs in sales and share my knowledge in a personal conversation. You can reach me at any time by e-mail and you are also welcome to call me.”
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“If I have aroused your interest with my education and passion for digital marketing, I would be very happy if you were invited to a personal interview.”
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“I would love to use my experience in digital marketing with you and tackle the daily challenges of XYZ. I would be happy to present my ideas and strategies to you in a personal meeting.”
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“I am sure that I have both the professional experience and the knowledge to drive your company forward as a digital marketing manager. Please find my CV as an attachment. I would also be very happy to have a personal conversation in order to get to know the needs of your company even better and to discuss initial ideas.”
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“I am convinced that I can use my skills and knowledge in digital marketing to the full in this position and I would be very happy to speak to you in person.”
“I would be very happy to have the opportunity to get to know the company better in a personal interview and to convince you of my skills.”
How to end a cover letter
“Best regards”, “Best regards”, “I am pleased….” – all these closing words are good, but nothing beats a simple “Thank you”.
It’s the most tactful final sentence for all types of letters and emails because it expresses genuine gratitude. It’s friendly and sincere. “Thank you” is the perfect ending to any letter.
Another example: “Thank you for your time”.
How do you write a cover letter that matches the job description?
A good cover letter should be short. However, if you are applying for many different positions, it will be exhausting to write a suitable cover letter for each application. This often tempts you to write a generic cover letter and just change the company name.
If you do that, however, your CV and cover letter will most likely go unnoticed by either the ATS (Applicant Tracking System), i.e. software for reading the applications, or the recruiter – because they are not relevant. On average, there are 250 applications for every vacancy, of which only four to six are invited to an interview. 98% of CVs and cover letters are rejected because they are irrelevant.
Never use the same cover letter for different applications. Instead of sending generic resumes and cover letters to hundreds of companies, focus on the ones that resonate with you the most and invest a little more time.
Find five good companies. Tailor your resume to each one, then customize your cover letter to flesh out the resume a little more. The next day you can do this for five more companies. There’s no point in sending out random applications all at once. After all, your goal is to get a job that you really like.
How to write a cover letter on Indeed
Writing a cover letter on a job-seeking platform such as Indeed is not that difficult if you follow a few simple rules:
- Keep it as short as possible and get to the point quickly. Write no more than one page and no more than four paragraphs.
- Your cover letter should only cover two things: your strengths and how they can benefit the company.
- Write your cover letter specifically to the most important statements of your CV. Your resume and cover letter are most effective when they complement each other.
- Write a customized resume and cover letter for each open position to ensure you are as close as possible to the type of candidate the company is looking for.
- Your cover letter should only contain the company’s contact details, your personal contact details, a greeting, an introduction, the body, a call-to-action, and the salutation.
- Use a few numbers, because in the job market they are often more meaningful than words. Illustrate your skills with statistics just like you did on your resume. The numbers show that you understand what a company is looking for in a team member and you can deliver those results.
In summary: Your cover letter should convince that you are the perfect candidate
The cover letter is your opportunity to tell the story behind the key points of your resume and convince your future employer that you are exactly what he/she is looking for.
Your cover letter should be no longer than four paragraphs and contain the following:
- Your short personal introduction.
- The key points of your resume (those that match those in the job description) with a description of why your previous experience and skills allow you to meet the company’s needs. It should complement the content of the CV and not repeat it.
- A call-to-action – a polite way of indicating that you would like to be called for an interview.
A well-aimed resume and a suitable cover letter are all you need to be invited to an interview. Send it, and once you get a call, prepare for interview questions.