Cover letters, spec letters or emails – we use them all to generate interest in our CV. They should all be considered as the introduction to your CV and should grab the reader’s attention, generate interest and then develop interest so the reader wants to know more and goes on to read your CV.

So how do you do this?

Writing the perfect letter is all about being confident in what you can offer (you) and confident in why you are marketing yourself for the job. We all know we would be rubbish at selling anything unless we were passionate about it in the first place. A good and well written CV will give you the confidence you need to feel passionate about yourself.

How do I generate interest?

Use quality stationery – print your CV and letters on 100gram white paper and use the same font so there is a professional consistent look.
Have your CV professionally written for you. CVdesigner will write you a top quality CV and an exceptional target letter.

How do I develop interest?

Firstly you need to make sure it has been sent to the right person. Spend time investigating who it should be addressed to. Do not just send it to the Manager or the HR Department (unless specified).

Tell the reader what it is you want and what you have to offer. Be strong and straight to the point. Don’t pussy-foot around but keep these areas short and snappy.

Do some research into the company you are contacting. If you can show you know what they are about you can also throw in some compliments about their recent performance and how you would like to contribute to their success.

If possible tell the reader something they want to hear. If you are applying for a direct position then apply for a copy of the person specification and job description. Read it through and match your skills and experience to what they are looking for. Most employers use these documents as a checklist when they are short-listing and you should make sure you get ticks in all of their boxes.

And once I’ve captured their interest?

Start to become specific on why you have chosen them and why they should choose you. Provide them with a paragraph that highlights your achievements or contributions. Your aim here is to make the reader want to know more about you and continue to your CV.

Make it clear to the reader that you would make a massive contribution to their organisation and that you want to talk about it. Tell the reader you would be interested in discussing the skills you could bring to the position at interview and that you would be available to discuss this as soon as possible. You need to make yourself look available but be sure not to sound desperate. It’s a bit like a relationship – always keep them wanting more!

There are so many types of job search letter. They range from the general job search letter to and executive briefing. All of these letters get scanned under close scrutiny throughout the selection process. It’s no longer acceptable to write “I’m a really good administrator and have an excellent telephone manner”. Employers nowadays need to know what made you an excellent administrator, what you have achieved and what you have done for previous companies to make yourself say you are good.

It can all get very complicated, but there are some simple rules. Employers will be looking for the following:

Who you are and what you would be like to work with? Use words such as drive, motivated, confident, energy, communication skills and determination

Are you professional, will you be loyal and reliable? Use words such as integrity, dedication, listening skills, reliability and honesty

What will you bring to their organisation and what are your main achievements? Talking about money earned for the company through your hard work projects a business profile, discuss things like time saved or money saved – give them real examples of sales increases or generated revenue.

Putting it all together….

Your letter and CV may arrive on the desk of someone tucked into the other 60 that came in the post that morning. It is said that on average a human will spend 30 seconds scanning information when recruiting, so make sure you use this time wisely.

DON’T cram too much information into one space
DO make it look professional, logical, and tidy and for heavens sake spell check it!! Use a font that is easy on the eye such as Ariel or verdana. Times new roman is slightly outdated and may look like you are not with the times! Verdana is a true font so it will look good on emails as well as on paper.

Get someone to read through it before you send it out. Second opinions count especially professional ones. CVdesigner can look at your letters for you and give you pointers for FREE!!

Print your letter and CV on white paper with black font.  This says business and makes you look professional. If you want to stand out of the crowd then you might want to opt for pink or green but in our books we would recommend black and white – it’s the content that counts.

Time to post…

Make sure you print the address on the envelope, especially if you don’t have perfect hand writing. Believe it or not envelopes do create a first impression and if the content is perfect but the envelope looks like it was written by a spider it will knock bonus points away from you. Be professional, be accurate and be consistent.

And finally….

If you still feel stuck when it comes to writing your letter then don’t fear. We can write letters for you. Just click on our letters link and for only £10 we can put a letter together for you – isn’t it just great when someone else can take the stress out of it for you?

order your cover letter - click here