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A while ago a friend approached me and asked me a question about cover letters. He was applying for a job and knowing I work in recruitment wanted a 2nd opinion on what he had written. Naturally I gave my advice, but it got me questioning whether the cover letter is still relevant today and if so, what should its format and content look like.

To me (a recruiter) a cover letter is the old school however it is still widely requested when applying for roles. A cover letter is essentially requested to give the hiring manager an introduction to you and an insight into your current situation/availability/relevance. This should lead them to your CV, CV leads to an interview, interview to a job, job to living happily ever after. Simple.

So what information should you include and what shouldn’t you? What’s too long and what’s too short? How formal do you make it? Where to start?

Tailor, Tailor, Tailor

Each cover letter should be tailored specifically to the job you are applying for. This is extremely important. Sending the same letter over and over again may speed the rate you are applying for jobs but in reality, it will be hindrance rather than a help. Copy and pasted letters are easy to spot and once spotted, will quickly make the reader question your true desire to work for that company in that role.

The advert will list the requirements of the role, taking time to align the content to this will reap rewards. Take time to research the company and its culture and explain why it appeals to you. People like to know the reasons you want to work for them. Tailoring the letter shows the reader you have taken time consider the position seriously. If you are merely “looking for a job” you will fall in with the masses.

Content

Remember a cover letter is not a CV. You do not need to give information on every bit of experience, ticket, course or qualification you have ever attained. Make sure you clearly reflect how you match the requirements of the role, but make sure it’s relevant and snappy.

Bear in mind your letter may be the 100th letter the person at the other end is reading, they will not be spending long examining it. On average a hiring manager will spend around 30 seconds looking at a cover letter. This means paragraph after paragraph won’t fly. Make sure paragraphs are bite sized. Bullet points are a good way to draw attention to your relevant skills, experience and achievements.

How formal?

This will fall in line with how you tailor your letter to the advert, company and the role. You ought to be able to get a good an idea of how formal the letter needs to be from the type of role you are applying for. You can make a fair assumption that a cover letter required of a lawyer will demand a more formal approach than that of a boilermaker for example.

If in doubt remain professional but don’t over-cook it. If your letter starts with “Greetings kind Sir/Madam, it is with the utmost pleasure I wish to state my interest in applying blah blah blah” it’s likely it will raise eyebrows rather than interest.

Know where it’s headed

Think about who is advertising the role. By researching the advert/company you can get a fair idea of who will be casting their eye over your letter. If it is a smaller company, it will usually be the hiring manager which means your letter will be going straight to the decision maker. Larger companies may have HR/Recruitment departments that will do the initial screening of hundreds of CVs for many different roles.

This will give you a bit of perspective of what to include and how to tailor the content. If it is a mass recruited role a short snappy letter with clear correlation of your experience and role requirements would be best. If it’s going straight to a hiring manager, you may be able to elaborate on experience and achievements.

Recruitment Company VS End Employer

I can’t speak for all but I, as a recruiter, spend little time dwelling on cover letters. The reasoning: recruiters are engaged by companies to find them people and, because they have to find people specific to their client’s requirements, they generally focus on qualifications/experience listed on the CV. Once a recruiter finds someone that could be a good match, they will undertake a phone screen and conduct their own interview before deciding if the candidate is a good fit and worth submitting to their client. This eliminates a need for a cover letter.

As an applicant bear this in mind and look to see who is advertising the role. Tailoring letter after letter to adverts listed by recruitment companies may not be time best served.

Other important points to consider:

• Grammar & Spelling – Always proof read, and spell check your letter
• Contact details – Include these on both your letter and CV (simple yet so often missed)
• Location – if you are not located near the role explain why in the cover letter otherwise you may be dismissed very quickly
• Human touch – Be yourself and convey some of your personality in the letter
• CV/LinkedIn – Make sure your CV and LinkedIn profile reflects the information in the cover letter. Conflicting information can raise suspicion and doubts

Taking the above on board, a cover letter should read well and should always focus on what you have to offer the employer rather than why you want the job. Being clear and concise is a must. If you want to see some examples of how it’s NOT done there are some crackers here:

Business Insider – Worst ever cover letters 

After the conversation with my friend it reiterated that entering the job market as a candidate can be daunting. It is something most aren’t familiar with. It may have been months or years since you last touched up your CV or looked at constructing a cover letter. Hopefully the above can give some insight and help.

Your CV is the key to opening the door to your next opportunity. In order to open up the best opportunities, your key needs to be in good shape. You might have some amazing skills and experience that have perfectly shaped you for the next big opportunity in your career – but if you don’t craft a key that fits, that door will still remain firmly closed.

The Real Estate of Your CV

When writing your CV, you need to market yourself in the best way possible. Don’t get too hung up on the length of your CV. For CEOs and people just starting out with little experience, it should be easy to keep your CV concise, to one or two pages.

It’s the people in the middle who often get tripped up by managing what to include and leave out from their variable previous jobs. Once you’ve whittled down your list, make sure its clear why you’ve listed each role.

Information to include in each role listed on your CV:

• More than the business name, include one or two lines about the organisation. This gives some context. It often doesn’t hurt to link to the business website.
• What you did in the role (if this isn’t obvious to you, you might need to go back to the drawing board).
• Accomplishments! For each role, identify (at least) one or two ways you were able to impart benefits through your unique contribution.
• Succinctly identify a challenge you faced, your approach, and the result.

The two things to remember when styling your CV:

• Put the most important or relevant information “up front” – if the hiring manager needs to go digging to find what they need to know, they’re going to lose interest.
• Keep the content concise and relevant – again, the person reading your resume shouldn’t have to go digging.

Keyword Lists

It’s true that many companies are using time-saving software that scans applications for a set list of keywords. If you want your resume to be read by a person, yes, you do need to include keywords specific to the industry and the role you’re applying for. However, I can’t stress this enough: have some decorum about how you use these words! Keywords should be integrated into the body of text; a keyword list slapped at the top of your application looks lazy.

Delete These Relics of Resumes Past

Hobbies and Interests – Consider this: is a new boss really going to care if you enjoy hiking, arts and crafts, or brewing beer?

If your hobby relates well to the role you’re applying for (say, if you are applying for a role that involves speaking to crowds and you have some community theatre under your belt) you should be able to mention it succinctly in your cover letter. If the employer has any more interest in what you get up to in your spare time (which yes, could possibly relate to your cultural fit), they’ll cover this at the interview stage.

Why do organisations use psychometric tests for recruitment?

Some employers include assessment testing as part of the selection process to make a better, more informed decision about a candidate. There is a range of questions that an assessment test can help answer such as; can this candidate do the job, will they do the job, and will they fit our team and culture?

Well designed, an assessment test can:

• Help predict future potential, and likely on-the-job performance
• Confirm a candidate’s ability to handle various job-related activities such as working in a team, leading others, coping with pressure, and adhering to rules
• Measure job specific skills that are not easily assessed by other methods.

How can I prepare for an OPRA psychometric assessment?

Being prepared is an important first step to ensure you are ‘in the right head-space’ to complete an assessment. Being prepared means that you know what tests you will complete, and ideally, making sure you feel rested and alert is equally important preparation for an assessment session.

Before the Assessments

• Set aside a time of day to complete the assessments when you know you will be most alert.
• Ensure that you will be free from distractions for the period that you are completing the assessments.
• Familiarise yourself with the different types of tests you will complete and practice these under the same conditions as the real assessment situation. Information on the tests you will be taking can be found in your email invitation.
• If you have special requirements, make sure the assessor understands these well in advance of testing. It may be possible for alternative arrangements to be made.
• If you have any significant concerns about the assessment, get in contact with your consultant and they will be able to provide you with guidance and information.

After the Assessments

• If you are completing the assessments at home, make sure to choose a time when you know you will not be interrupted.
• If you are completing more than one exercise, you might like to take a few short breaks between finishing one assessment and starting the next.
• Carefully read all instructions before starting an assessment and complete all practice questions.
• Do not panic if you don’t finish one or more timed exercises. These tests are typically not designed to be finished. Instead, try to work as accurately and as quickly as you can.
• If you don’t think you have worked to the best of your ability on any one assessment, try not to let this distract you, but focus instead on the next assessment.
• Don’t try to guess what the assessor is looking for from your assessment results. It is best to answer each question as honestly as you can. It is your personal opinions and preferences that an employer wants to see.
• Although personality and interest questionnaires are not timed, try not to spend too long answering any one question. Your first, instinctive response is generally the most accurate.

For more information visit our sister company OPRA Psychology Group