How Can Your Cover Letter Help You?

Episode #8 of the course Ultimate guide to landing a job by Infobip

 

You have probably seen a number of job ads asking for a cover letter. A surprisingly large proportion of candidates underestimates the importance of a motivation/cover letter, and usually, it is quite visible that little effort was put into tailoring it. Change this habit. The cover letter is a powerful tool that can give a personal touch to your application. It is especially valuable when there are many other applicants or when you don’t fulfill all the requirements for the position. A good cover letter makes a recruiter think, “Hey, I want to meet this person”—and leads to an interview.

Your motivation letter should answer the following questions:

Why this position?

Be precise and concise about expressing your ambitions, plans, and expectations related to the position you are applying for.

Tell us why you’re the right fit for this position. What made you interested in this specific role, as opposed to any other? Why is this position suited to you at this stage of your career? What are you seeking to accomplish?

Why this company?

We understand that you really want this position, but we are not the only company offering it. Why, out of all companies, did you choose to apply to us? Why do you see our company as a place to accomplish what is important to you? Make sure recruiters understand how being a part of their company impacts your future career goals.

Why you?

Highlight your specific qualifications for the job and point out experiences or accomplishments that make you particularly suitable for it. What kind of skills, knowledge, and expertise would you bring to this company? What makes you the best possible candidate for the position?

Be as specific as possible, e.g. don’t just say that you are proactive; mention precisely which initiatives you started at your last company or university. Highlight your growth and progress or any promotion that you’re proud of.

Last but not least, being creative and unique is always an advantage—don’t be scared to show who you really are.

Here, we wrap up the APPLY stage. What happens after you have sent an application? Each company has its own process; here is an example. What if you are invited for the interview? Don’t panic, since in our next lesson, we will show you how to ace it.

 

Recommended book

Wait, How Do I Write This Email? by Danny Rubin

 

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