How to write a successful cover letter to apply for your dream job!

Applying for a Job

As the late great Steve Jobs once said: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.” Basically, we all need to work, and as Steve said, you’ll spend a huge proportion of your life doing it, so you should try to find a job that you love. (His surname was ‘Jobs’, so he probably knew what he was talking about.) This doesn’t usually happen on your first attempt and we often do several jobs before we find one we enjoy, hence we all need to apply for lots of positions. So, what’s the best way to get those jobs and to move towards a happier life more quickly?

Probably the best way to get a job is to make a strong first impression on a potential employer, but how can you do this? A good CV and cover letter are a place to start.

There are varying opinions about what exactly should be put into a CV or cover letter, or even if these are applicable, especially as some companies create their own application forms. However, it’s better to include these and to do them well, rather than looking unprofessional or possibly lazy. If you’re applying to several companies, it’s also best to personally address emails/letters and send them individually, as oppose to impersonally mass emailing potential employees. People expect you to apply for other positions, possibly with their rivals; however, no one wants to have it so blatantly shoved in his or her face.

The exact format of a good CV tends to vary between countries and can change over time. However, including information that will be applicable to the job(s) you want to get as well as describing you positively, is a must. We’d recommend including the following:

Personal details (It’s good to give potential employees an overview of who you are, so they know if you will be a good “fit” for them. Including your date of birth and whether you have a driving license is a good idea which people often don’t do.)
Qualifications (Include institutions, dates of study/graduation as well as your grades. Yes, your grades!)
Work Experience (Include dates, positions held and responsibilities.)
Other achievements, such as language abilities and your level against the CEFR (A1 – C2, not percentages as they are not a real or recognised classification system.), hobbies, interests and awards.
References/Referees or a note that references can be provided if needed. If you include referees, make sure you include contact details for one from a previous job and an academic one too.

Finally, remember to write in an impersonal style and use bullet points to help make your text concise and easy to skim over quickly. Don’t include pictures of you in your favourite football shirt or at the beach, and definitely do not lie as future employees will find out.

Two pages is usually the maximum recommended for a CV.

As for cover Letters, these are something that a lot of people overlook or believe isn’t needed. That may be true for some jobs but as they are a chance for you to “sell” yourself, why wouldn’t you include one? Many employers want to know why you believe you are the best person for the job they are offering, so use this to tell them. It also shows a professional approach, as opposed to just sending an email with the text: “My CV. I want a job.” Here are our top tips for writing a string cover letter:

The main thing to with a cover letter is that it must be written formally and this means specific language and structures need to be used/respected.
Start with a greeting. We use “Dear … ,” including the recipient’s name if known (e.g. Mark Smith; Mr Smith; Mrs Lopez) If we don’t know the name of the person we are writing to we put “Dear Sir or Madam,”.
Say why are you writing. (Which job you are applying for and if you can, give details of where you saw it advertised.)
Answer/Include everything that’s asked for in the advertisement.
Mention why you are suitable/perfect for the job.
As an option a phone number and time you can be contacted can be added.
Sign off correctly. (This usually includes a phrase about future contact and either “Yours sincerely,” or “yours faithfully,”. We use sincerely when you start the letter with the recipient’s surname and faithfully when we write “Dear Sir or Madam,”.)