Your resumé provides hiring managers with an overview of your qualifications, skills and experience. But what is the purpose of a cover letter?
A cover letter is a more personalised introduction, a one-page document that accompanies your resumé when you submit a job application. It’s an opportunity to introduce yourself and elaborate on how your background makes you the ideal applicant for the role.
In this article, we explore the purpose of a cover letter, explain how to write a cover letter, and how to ensure yours stands out.
What is the purpose of a cover letter? A cover letter provides an explanation of your professional history, qualifications and interest in the position. It should be closely tailored to the role you’re applying for and addressed to the hiring manager. It’s a formal introduction of who you are and how you meet the job criteria.
Use your cover letter as an opportunity to set yourself apart from the other job seekers applying for the same position. Rather than just stating that you’re applying for a role, take your time to explain what excites you about the specific position and company.
It can be a good idea to spend a bit of time researching the organisation’s mission, values and recent projects to demonstrate genuine interest and knowledge. This can also come in handy for the interview round of the application process.
Your cover letter shouldn’t just repeat your resumé. Instead, select two to three skills or experiences directly related to the job description. From here, you can use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to provide examples demonstrating how you’ve applied these skills and achieved results. Consider quantifying your achievements, if relevant, for example: ‘Increased sales over three months by 20%.’ This helps to illustrate the specific value you can bring to the new role.
Use your cover letter to briefly explain your career path and motivations, connecting them to the position you're applying for. Highlight the relevant soft skills that you might not have captured in your resumé, like leadership, teamwork, problem solving and decision-making. While a cover letter is a great opportunity to provide a little more depth and context around your resumé, it’s important to keep it concise; around three short paragraphs.
Whether you’re writing your resumé or your cover letter, it’s important to pay close attention to the job description. If it mentions specific details to include, like salary expectations or relevant certifications, be sure to address them in your cover letter. Following instructions demonstrates your attention to detail and ability to follow directions, which are both important qualities for any employer.
When it comes to writing a cover letter, it always helps to have a plan. Here are a few steps to help you turn a blank page into an attention-grabbing cover letter for your next job application.
Researching the company can take a bit of time, especially if you’re applying at several different places, but it’s essential to understand each company’s culture and values. Using company-specific information allows you to personalise your cover letter to suit not just the role, but the organisation too.
It’s even better if you can show an understanding of the problems the company is trying to solve (their main objectives, like expanding into a new market or getting highly skilled labourers). Highlight the experience you bring to the table to help them overcome these pain points.
Use your cover letter to demonstrate how you can contribute to the company’s future successes. It can help to line up your career aspirations and professional goals with the company’s goals. Ultimately, you want to highlight what you can add to the company.
Use your cover letter as an opportunity to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Avoid generic openings and start with a compelling introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. You could mention a specific achievement, a mutual connection or something unique about the company that excites you.
Here are a couple of examples of eye-catching email subject lines and letter introductions:
Subject line: Bringing [specific skill] to your [position] team
Dear [hiring manager’s name],
I am thrilled to apply for the maintenance plumber position at XYZ Corp. With 10 years of experience as a commercial plumber, I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills and knowledge to your team.
Subject line: Excited to apply for [position] at [company]
Dear [hiring manager’s name],
As a lifelong admirer of XYZ Corp’s commitment to sustainability, I am excited to apply for the environmental consultant position. I believe my recent project at Green Earth, where I led a team to reduce product carbon emissions by 15%, makes me a perfect addition to your team.
These are good examples of email introductions, because they:
There are also some things you may want to avoid when putting together your cover letter introduction. Here are some examples of what not to write when it comes to your email subject line and introduction.
Subject line: Excited to apply for the banking consultant position
Hi,
I am writing to apply for the consultant position as advertised online. I have more than five years’ experience across all areas of commercial banking and believe I could be an excellent addition to your team.
This is an okay introduction, but there are ways it can be improved:
Subject line: Please Hire Me As You New Night Manager!
Dear Hiring Manager,
I’m an experienced night manager, with nearly two years of experience in luxury five-star hospitality. I’m an international student with a current work visa for working in Australia, and would be grateful if you could consider my application. I am sure I can do well in your company!
There are a few issues with this intro:
Use your cover letter to identify and articulate your unique strengths. Be sure to connect your skills with the company’s needs to demonstrate the value you could bring to the team.
While it’s important to convey your enthusiasm for the position and company, balancing excitement with professionalism is important. For example, replace “I can’t wait to work with you guys” with “I’m eager to bring my skills to your team.” While the first example is too casual, the second example demonstrates your enthusiasm in a professional tone.
Here’s another example of an overly enthusiastic and informal tone, “I’m super excited about this job! I’ve always dreamed of working at XYZ Corp, and I know I’d be amazing in this role!”
Instead, you’d be better off saying, “I am excited to apply for the receptionist position at XYZ Corp. With my strong background in office administration and a passion for customer service excellence, I am eager to contribute to your team.”
Don’t go overboard with your cover letter. Even though your cover letter is meant to provide hiring managers with more information about you and what excites you about the role, it’s important to keep it concise and limit it to a single page.
To help you keep it short and sweet, focus on starting strong with an attention-grabbing introduction and tailor your content to ensure it’s specific and relevant to the role you’re applying for.
Writing a great cover letter is an essential part of the job application process. By tailoring your cover letter to the specific company and role, you’ll be able to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experience that are relevant to the position. Your cover letter plays a big role in whether you’ll get a callback for an interview, so it’s worth investing time and effort into getting it right.
While a resumé offers a bullet-listed overview of your skills and experience, your cover letter is like a personal pitch to the hiring manager, elaborating on your resumé and providing a little more detail to demonstrate why you’d be a good fit for the position.
Cover letters aren’t always a requirement for job applications, but it’s always a good idea to submit one. Not only can including a cover letter improve your chances of getting noticed, but it allows you to set yourself apart from the other applicants and further try to convince the hiring manager why you’re the right fit for the role.
Including a cover letter as part of your application can enhance your chances of getting noticed by potential employers. Here are some of the main benefits:
A cover letter shouldn’t be any longer than a single page. Aim for around 250–400 words or three or four paragraphs. The only time you should go over a page in length for your cover letter is if the job description specifically asks for a longer letter.
There’s no harm in using a cover letter template to guide your cover letter, but it’s essential that you tailor every cover letter to suit the role and company. You should be adjusting your cover letter for each role you apply for.
Your cover letter should include details that are most relevant to the position and company you’re applying for. Based on your research, you should be able to identify specific skills, knowledge and experience that would help the company succeed.
Unless the job description specifically ask that you include your salary expectations in the cover letter, it’s often better to avoid this topic so early in the recruitment process. These types of discussions are better left for the interview.
You want to make a positive first impression with your cover letter, so here are a few common mistakes to avoid:
Yes, cover letters are still essential to the job application process for many roles. They give you a chance to stand out from the other applicants and fill in potential gaps that aren’t covered by your resumé. Not to mention, including a cover letter demonstrates your initiative and enthusiasm for the role.