What To Consider When Creating A Powerful Cover Letter

Every time you send out a CV, you’ll need to have a great cover letter to send along with it. Poor cover letters get no love. A cover letter is a chance to make a case, cover everything we can’t express in our resumes – which is a lot – and come across as real people to potential employers.

It’s a good idea to customize your cover letter for each job you’re applying for. The cover letter is another way of introducing yourself to a potential employer. What it says about you can be the difference between getting in the door and missing your chance. Don’t throw a cover letter together in the hope that nobody will actually read it; to take advantage of its full potential, follow these steps.

Before You Write
Each cover letter takes preparation. Find your answers to these important questions before you start writing your cover letter:
1.    What is the complete name of the company to which you are applying for a job?

2.    What is the name of the person to whom you are addressing the cover letter?

3.    What is the address of the person to whom you are sending the letter?

4.    What is the title of the job for which you are applying and does it also have a reference number that you should include?

5.    What is the type of job or level of the position you are seeking?
•    entry-level
•    management
•    senior level

6.    What skills do you possess that you are not using enough in your current role? Would the ideal candidate for this new role be required to make more use of those types of skills? What opportunities are missing in your current role? Answering these questions will help you explain why you are interested in leaving current position. For example, are you looking for:
•    room for advancement
•    an opportunity to learn new skills

7.    What is your current job or educational position? This may seem like an obvious question, but knowing how to clearly define your current role is a tremendous asset. For example, you could be a:
•    graduate student in environmental science
•    customer service professional specializing in the high-end retail market

8.    What is a general description of your accomplishments/experiences in the field to which you are applying? For example, you could have:
•    fifteen years of excellent customer service experience
•    an outstanding background in scientific research and discovery
•    a solid history of dependability in the IT industry

9.    What key professional skills can you offer to the company? List a few in your cover letter, such as:
•    extensive experience with start-ups
•    demonstrated ability to solve problems
•    refined ability to manage teams

10.    What will you help the company accomplish, if given the job you desire?
•    increase its bottom line
•    meet its goal of providing only the best in customer service
•    expand its customer base and increase its revenue

Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant at Corporate Staffing Services. Email:dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke. Website: www.corporatestaffing.co.ke