Are you repeating your CV in your cover letter? Do you find yourself using the same cover letter for every job application? If so, you might be unintentionally sabotaging your chances of landing your dream job. But don’t worry! With a few strategic tweaks, you can transform your cover letter into an impactful document that captures attention and increases your chances of getting you the job you desire.
1. Research about the company before you start
Before writing a cover letter, research the company thoroughly. Today companies are transparent about their vision, mission and work culture. Use this to your advantage! Dig into their website and social media profiles such as LinkedIn, Xing, Instagram to understand their values, work culture, employees and their products/services. This will help you understand the company better and tailor your cover letter, in terms of tone and content, to align with what they seek in a future employee.
2. Craft an Attention-Grabbing Opening Statement
The opening sentence of your cover letter is critical. It determines whether the reader will continue or move on. Be creative! Use the knowledge you’ve gained about the company to craft an engaging introduction. Whether intriguing, or direct, make sure it aligns with the company’s style and hooks the reader right from the start.
3. Highlight relevant experiences and achievements
Before you begin with this step, make sure you understand the job posting inside and out. This is essential for you to reframe your experiences in alignment with the job description. Use keywords from the job ad to resonate with what the hiring manager is seeking. Connect the dots between your relevant past experiences and your current job at hand, subtly stating how it makes you a good fit for the new role. If you have additional impressive achievements, mention them, but limit such examples to two at most. Please note, your cover letter is not a novel.
4. Stay true to yourself
Authenticity is key. Let your personality shine through in your cover letter. Whether you’re open, shy or somewhere in between, stay true to who you are. This honesty helps build rapport with the reader, even if they have different preferences. The right company will appreciate your genuine tone and approach.
5. Help the recruiter visualize you in the role
Paint a picture of how you would fit into the company’s team. Discuss how your colleagues see you or the unique dynamics you bring to a team. Use real examples to demonstrate your leadership or collaborative spirit. Focus on the results of your tasks/efforts and mention only the skills most relevant to the job.
6. Customise your cover letter for the job
Your CV highlights your experience and your qualifications, but your cover letter emphasizes on your motivation for the role. Tailor your cover letter for each company you apply for. Clearly define the motivation behind applying to a new role and why you think you are a good fit for it.
Some Dos’ while writing to the German Employers:
- Highlight your German language skills if the job description specifically asks for them.
- When writing the cover letter in German, always use the formal “Sie” instead of “Du,” regardless of the tone of the job description.
- Many German companies prefer formal cover letter structures, so including “Sender” and “Receiver” details at the top is appropriate.
Finally, edit and refine your cover letter multiple times before submission. Aim for concise, impactful content that highlights the best of your qualifications.
Take advantage of our career coaching service if you are still unsure and would like professional help to optimize your application! You can book your appointment here to set up a first meeting and find out more about our career coaching.
About the author
Swati Pant
Swati leads business development and partnerships at intap network, focussing on strategic problem solving and consultative approaches to expanding the network and fostering partnerships.
Updated on 25/09/2024
