The cover letter debate is an age-old one. How long should it be? What should it contain? And is it ever actually read? Below are some useful pointers to help you get it right…

You should probably invest 90% of your energy into honing an amazing CV, and the other 10% on your cover letter. Gone are the days of posting a lengthy handwritten cover letter on smart watermarked parchment paper (to demonstrate your beautiful handwriting – yes, this did used to happen, and not even that long ago!). The cover letter will most usually accompany an online application, whether via a jobsite or as an email.

Most people send out the same cover letter to every employer. While this saves time, you won’t stand out from the crowd and could be overlooked. You need to do some research – go online, look at what the business is doing currently – and comment on it. Going the extra mile shows your willingness to make an effort and excitement about that business in particular.

The cover letter gives you a good chance to impress agencies and employers and LAND THAT JOB. You just need to have a proactive strategy to jobhunting, and this starts with an interesting and succinct cover letter – or (as I prefer to call it) a cover note.

It’s a sweetener to the CV and should invite the reader to take a closer look

The cover note should be only a few sentences long. Anything more than that and it really won’t get read. It’s just a sweetener to the CV attached, and should invite the reader to take a closer look. It’s not your autobiography – hit on the key points that would interest employers, but keep it short. Include a brief opening sentence that mentions the specifics of the position you are targeting, followed by a few points reflecting qualifications that are relevant to their requirements. The final line should end with a bang – make it punchy but keep in context with your ‘style’ of writing.

Key elements to include

• Expression of enthusiasm for the role

• Why you want to work for that business

• What you can bring / why you’re perfect

Example cover note

Hi

I’m really excited to read of this vacancy as I’ve wanted to work for xxxxx for many years, and read only this week about the incredible xxxxx (international expansion / online success / new collection).

My current role at xxxxx has allowed me to really understand the xxxxx (ladieswear / accessories / luxury) sector, and I feel that I would bring a great deal of experience to the position.

I’d be delighted to interview for this role, and look forward to hearing back from you soon

Kind regards

Sarah