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There’s going to be lots of job applications made this autumn. Expert Emma Alkirwi shares her advice on writing a cover letter that will stand out from the crowd
The job market is going to hot up this autumn. Unfortunately there’ll be lots of people forced to find new jobs. Already we’re hearing anecdotally of positions attracting thousands of applicants. And there’ll likely be a flood of working dads looking for roles that allow them to maintain the work life balance they’ve enjoyed through lockdown. Many working dads report increased satisfaction, productivity and happiness having traded in the daily commute for family time.
CVs are important for making your job application stand out. But don’t overlook the covering letter that often accompanies it.
CV expert Emma Alkirwi is managing director of CVGuru. She shares some advice on making your covering letter the best it can be.
When applying for a new role, there is often an option to attach or upload a cover letter. Uploading a CV is, of course, essential. However, there are more and more employers using various platforms to advertise positions where there is an automated cover letter within the application so you can simply attach your CV and hit on apply. So are cover letters still taken into consideration?
With the job market becoming more and more competitive, standing out from other applicants has never been as tough. If a recruiter is looking through numerous applicants and someone has taken the time to personalise a cover letter to them and inform them of their suitability of course this will make you stand out. This demonstrates dedication and commitment while allowing you to explain why you wish to apply for the position. It is also an opportunity to highlight your transferable skills if you are making a career change. These are things you just won’t put into a CV or, if you do, it would look out of place!
To assist you in compiling an effective cover letter I would suggest you adhere to a simple and effective structure:
There is lots of advice and templates you can obtain for a cover letter. Just make sure to your CV and cover letter are consistent and succinct. When you are job searching quality over quantity is always a winner!
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