In today’s frantic employment world, jobs often get filled almost as quickly as they come onto the market. Because of this, you must find ways to stand out in as many ways as possible. A good cover letter is one such way to prove yourself a cut above the rest.
There’s been debate in recent times about the validity and efficacy of cover letters, but here at Seven Resourcing, we still think they’re a fantastic addition to any job application. This post will examine the benefits of a well-written cover letter and why we believe they’re still helpful in 2024.
The Benefits of a (Good) Cover Letter
If your CV is your fancily dressed shop window, then your cover letter is the knowledgeable shopkeeper inside who helps seal the deal and get you what you’re looking for. A cover letter is often the final piece of the recruitment puzzle.
It either helps to secure a position of employment or tells the employer that, despite the impressive CV, what they’re saying in their cover letter doesn’t align with the company’s values and steers them in another direction. It can be the difference between a good hire and a poor hire. And between getting the job or not.
Be More Thorough
Cover letters enable you to showcase your skills in a more fleshed-out way, bringing the expertise you’ve highlighted within your CV to life. The CV grabs the attention. The cover letter follows up with a complete and thorough pitch. It’s more nuanced and allows you to convey your suitability more thoughtfully.
Be More Specific to the Job
Cover letters enable you to be specific to the job in question. While you can tailor your CV to each job application, with a cover letter, you can really dive into the role’s job description, extracting its requirements.
You can then match your cover letter to it, explaining point by point how you match what they’re looking for and backing up what you’re saying with demonstrable examples. With a CV, you can’t go into that kind of detail.
Show You’re Really Interested in a Role
With quick apply options now a staple of many job boards, in which all it takes is one click and whoosh, off your CV is sent, actually taking the time to pen a cover letter is becoming somewhat rarer. In today’s hectic job market, a cover letter demonstrates that you’re more determined to secure the position – and that you really care.
If an employer receives one hundred job applications, and only ten of them come with cover letters, they’re instantly going to be seen in a more favourable light than those that came with nothing but the CV.
What Makes a Good Cover Letter?
So, now that we’ve discussed the benefits of writing a cover letter, let’s look at what exactly makes a good letter.
First, just like your CV, it must be free of grammatical errors. If you’ve written a letter full of spelling mistakes, you might as well not have written one whatsoever. So, once you’ve finished writing your letter – proofread it, and then proofread it three more times for good measure.
Next, it needs to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Suppose you’re applying for a nursing position, and your cover letter at no point mentions your previous experience as a nurse. In that case, the hiring manager will be left scratching their head, wondering why you’ve applied.
Look for the keywords listed in the job spec and utilise them within your cover letter. If the job calls for effective organisational skills, for instance, then discuss a scenario in which you had to be exceptionally well-organised. Your cover letter is your chance to show them how you match what they’re looking for in a candidate.
Convey your confidence and expertise but be wary not to come across as arrogant or overly cocky. You want to strike a fine balance between showcasing that you know what you’re talking about and sounding as though you think you know it all.
The same balancing act applies when referring to the injection of personality into a cover letter. The last thing you want is for your letter to be devoid of all warmth, charm, or personality. However, don’t let that stray so far that you sound unprofessional.
Can You Rely on a Good CV, Alone, to Land a Job?
You can rely solely on your CV to secure you a job, but why take the chance? Do you know what’s even better than a good CV? A good CV in combination with a good cover letter! We know writing a cover letter can be a bit of work, but if the job is one you want, it’s worth putting in the effort for, right?
Browse Our Roles Today
Here at Seven Resourcing, we’ve got a huge number of roles available across healthcare, social care, education, and recovery and criminal justice. We’d love to hear from you, so apply directly or contact us!
