“It’s me! I’m the candidate you’ve been looking for!”
In order to convince a recruiter that you’re the perfect fit for their vacancy, you have to become a chameleon, morphing into the right candidate for the right position over and over again.
To achieve this, it’s vital that you take full advantage of every single second of contact you have with the recruiter, starting from the cover letter you send alongside your CV.
For the sake of speed, practicality and mass rollout, the temptation is often to prepare one master copy that describes you in a faithful yet generic manner.
A kind of one-size-fits-all solution that enables you to simply click “send to all” and be done with it.
Yet this strategy rarely pays off.
It’s crucial that you personalise your CV and cover letter, adjusting it to fit the position you’re applying for, because this enables you to draw attention to the relevant sides to your character and show evidence of the key skills outlined in the candidate profile. It also means the person reviewing your cover letter is finding the answers they’re looking for as soon as they start reading.
Below are some top tips for writing a knock-out cover letter!
- Personalisation
The best way to engage with the person that has just started to read you cover letter?
Calling them by name!
None of this “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern” stuff.
By doing a quick search on Google or LinkedIn, you’ll be able to identify the person you’ll be writing to and thus address the letter directly to them.
By personalising your cover letter in this way, you make the reader feel truly important and engaged, encouraging them to continue reading.
A word of advice: avoid platitudes and flattery. Instead, be confident and professional.
- First impressions count
Once you’ve hooked the recruiter, they’ll begin to read about you and start to form that much-talked-about first impression.
In order to make sure it’s a positive one, first ask yourself what you would like to read if you were in the recruiter’s position.
There is no doubt that making a bold start and including impressive facts is vital when it comes to engaging the reader.
If, thanks to your sales prowess, your company’s profits have increased by 5% this year, or if the product you launched has outperformed expectations, now is the time to say so.
Come straight out with it: “Dear Ms Ferraris, my name is Dario Scotti and this year I boosted business for my company by securing four new clients and increasing turnover by 4%.”
Stands out, doesn’t it?
- Be interesting. Harness the power of storytelling.
Now that you’ve got the attention of the reader, it’s time to make the most of it by describing yourself in the most interesting way possible. How? By telling a story that includes the information and experiences you think are most relevant for the recruiter.
Underline your achievements and highlight the successes that have enabled you to grow as a professional and benefit your company. Ensure that the letter flows in a concise yet engaging manner, touching on the key phases in your career, and you’ll keep the recruiter hooked.
