HOW DOES ONE WRITE A GOOD COVER LETTER?

Transcription

1 HOW DOES ONE WRITE A GOOD COVER LETTER? written by Sara Birgerson and Karin Andersson

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 3 THE ART OF WRITING AN APPLICATION... 5 Do s... 5 Don ts... 6 INTERNATIONALLY... 7 EXAMPLE OF A COVER LETTER

3 INTRODUCTION Writing a good cover letter is not easy. But it is possible. The purpose of the letter is to spark an interest in you as an individual and make the reader want to read your CV, providing more details about your skills and the expertise that is mentioned in your CV (without repeating the text in your CV) and to highlight your ability to express yourself in writing. Attempt to focus on your characteristics in relation to the particular job you are applying for. If you have included answers to these three questions, the letter should be good: 1. Why do you want to work within this particular industry/field/issue? 2. Why do you want to work at this particular company/organisation? 3. Why should they hire/choose you in particular? Your answers to the above questions can be coupled together with the following: What are the issues within the company/organisation s field of work of which you are particularly interested in and perhaps have some previous experience with? What experience do you have (in addition to your studies) that may be of particular relevance to the job/internship? What has guided your choice of subjects/courses at university? Have you written a thesis/course paper or conducted a project within the field? 3

4 A cover letter should always be clearly specifically directed towards the particular workplace you are applying to, which means that you must write a new version of the letter for each application. Do a thorough job of research, so that your skills match up with the specific organisation/company. Practice makes perfect, and soon it will be easy for you to write your cover letters! 4

5 THE ART OF WRITING AN APPLICATION Do's: 1. Target your letter towards the specific job. 2. Begin with something interesting. Preferably avoid standard phrases My name is XX and I m applying for the advertised job. 3. Keep it short. Maximum one A4 page. Leave out anything that is not relevant. 4. Focus on your personal characteristics, in relation to the job you are looking for. 5. Speak about why you are interested in this particular industry/field/issue. 6. Speak about why you are interested in this particular company/organisation. 7. Speak about why they should hire you in particular, what you can bring to the table. 8. Start with the advert, if there is one, and match what they are looking for with your background. Reuse their words (or synonyms to them), but discreetly. 9. Weave your good qualities into the text, followed by exemplifications or definitions. 10. Preferably talk about something special about yourself, something that will enable them to remember you. 11. Conclude on a positive note and with confidence, e.g. by offering you providing more information about yourself with an interview. Believe in yourself, that you will get the job. 12. Be picky with the layout. The letter should be easy to read and look appealing, preferably matching up with your CV. Divide the text into paragraphs so as to make the layout look airy. 13. Decide if you want to include a photo, or not. In the event that you do, carefully select the photo. You yourself decide whether you want to include a photo in the letter or CV. 14. Have someone proofread your letter and make corrections. 5

6 Don'ts: 1. That letter you sent to one potential employer; don t send the same exact letter to other potential employers. However it is perfectly fine to base new letters on a previous letter. 2. Do not repeat what is already in your CV, but preferably draw parallels to it. 3. Do not forget to include your contact information! 4. Do not babble on talking about your good qualities in a long list. What you state, state it convincingly, or provide examples so as to give more weight to what you write. 5. Do not begin every sentence in the same way. Vary your language. 6. Do not mention anything negative about yourself. Write what you have, not what you do not have. 7. Avoid clichés and standard phrases, such as I can keep many irons in the fire, or I am a team player. 8. Do not write the same as everyone else. Make yourself stand out. 6

7 INTERNATIONALLY Note that what we have written above and the examples that follow apply to Swedish cover letters and the Swedish labour market. We fully recognise that different countries have different rules and guidelines in terms of the documents to be submitted with an application. If you are applying for a job or internship abroad, be sure to carefully check out what is required or preferred in that particular country and what background or qualifications is considered to be an advantage. For example, a cover letter in the United States should never include a picture. 7

8 EXAMPLE OF A COVER LETTER NOTE! No template! First name, middle names Last name Civic registration number? Postal address? , firstname.lastname@ .com I have had a passion for fashion since when at a young age I began to browse through my grandmother s closet. This is one important reason for my interest in working at the Fashion Company X as a salesperson. My interest reflects my personal style and how I derive inspiration from a variety of places, ranging from the stranger in the café to fashion magazines (á la ELLE). Another thing that seriously interests me is working with people, and especially people in vulnerability. Therefore, I am highly impressed that you at the Fashion Company X are engaged in projects that are focused on helping people who find themselves in a vulnerable situation. To me, it is vitally important to work in a workplace that is not only concerned with making profits but that also has an interest in working with humanitarian issues. The activities that you at the Fashion Company X are engaged in, such as donating clothing to people who are suffer from being in war zones or impacted by a natural disaster, along with others in need, are important. My broad experience in the business world means that I can easily adapt myself to new employment, and new work tasks and responsibilities. At Company Z, I gained experience working independently with purchasing, as well as working with others in project form. That I also have experience in dealing with and responding to different people in different situations, is something that I consider important for a salesperson and something I can offer as your employee. I look forward to telling you more about myself over a cup of coffee! First Name Last Name 8