Do's and Don'ts for your Cover Letter

Posted by Andrew on July 3, 2015

Thanks to our Waikato Recruitment Consultant Gemma Pritchard for this weeks blog.

As recruiters we see a lot of cover letters – some better than others. They are a great way to make a fantastic first impression, here are some do's and don’ts of writing a good cover letter.

Do –

• Modify your cover letter to each individual job application – it’s not a good look when the letter refers to a different role rather than the vacancy you are applying for or is simply not relevant to the position.
• Use your cover letter as an opportunity to tell a potential employer a little about yourself and what personal qualities and skills you could bring to the role.
• Tell the employer why you are interested in the role and their company, it shows you have a genuine interest.
• Use simple, positive language .
• Remember first impressions count – make sure your cover letter looks professional and tidy, get somebody else to check it for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Don’t -

• Make it too long, keep your cover letter to a single page.
• Come across as pushy. Show your motivation and enthusiasm but don’t beg for an interview.
• Start every paragraph with “I”.
• Undersell yourself. Saying things like “a little experience” or “a small amount of knowledge” weakens your message.
• Forget to close by saying you are available for interviews and happy to provide further information if needed.