A cover letter is often the first communication you will have with a potential employer, making it an incredibly important part of your job application toolkit. From the very first line, your cover letter gives you the opportunity to present yourself as professional, experienced and the ideal candidate for the role. Furthermore, an effective cover letter will help you stand out from the competition, something that becomes incredibly important when applying for jobs that have a large number of applicants.

Conversely, a poorly crafted cover letter, for example one which contains spelling errors or fails to properly convey your skill set, will be unlikely to help you get the job.

With that in mind, we’ve written this helpful article that outlines how to craft each paragraph of your cover letter, as well as this useful cover letter guide which includes a downloadable template, so you can create your own professional cover letter.

Section 1: Heading

The header of every professional cover letter for a job application should follow the rules of formal business letters and include:

• Your name
• Your phone number
• Your email address
• The date

Section 2: Greeting

Address the letter directly to the person named on the job ad, and if there’s no name use LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook to research and find the name of the relevant person. If you can’t identify anyone simply using “To whom it may concern” is acceptable.

Also state the job your application is regarding to and include job title and reference number. The company may be recruiting for various positions and you don’t want to leave them with any doubt as to which you are applying for.

Section 3: Opening paragraph

One of the biggest mistakes people make with regards to their cover letter is simply rehashing what is already said in their resume. But your cover letter is your chance to expand upon this information that you are giving them in your CV. While a resume specifically outlines your technical ability, past experience and education, your cover letter can highlight specific projects, achievements and skills that really set you apart. It is also a chance to let some of your personality and passion come through!

The first paragraph of your cover letter needs to grab the hiring manager’s attention and hook them in. This can either be done by highlighting a professional achievement, talking about how you fulfil their company’s needs. If you are new to the workforce or don’t have a huge amount of experience in the role you are applying for, basing the first paragraph on your passion and enthusiasm is also an acceptable approach.

Whichever path you choose, you should make it clear what the company stands to gain from hiring you specifically.

Section 4: Why you are the perfect fit for the company

This is where researching the company and carefully reading through the position description is important. To really help you appeal to a potential employer, you should try to understand what skills and experience they are looking for. Once you have understood these, you are best able to highlight your skills as they relate to these specific requirements of the job ad.

Firstly, show that you’re highly qualified in your field based on your current/previous role, then expand on how your previous experiences can help your future potential employer fulfil their business goals.

Section 5: Why the company is the perfect fit for you

It is important to show that you are passionate about the company and the work they do, as passionate employers are typically a better long-term investment. Talk about what excites you about working for this specific company; do you love their culture, values, projects, social impact or career growth opportunities. This will not only show that you’ve done your research, but that you are also engaged and dedicated.

Section 6: Closing paragraph

The final paragraph should politely prompt the employer to take the next step and ask them to contact you to arrange an interview. This will be a subtle nudge to spur them into action. Next, it is important to thank them for their time. This shows that you are eager to meet, while finishing on a positive note.

Section 7: The formal sign off

Finally, you will need to sign off in a professional manner, just as you would any other formal letter. Any of the below are acceptable sign offs:

• Sincerely
• Kind regards
• Regards
• Thank you for your consideration

You can download our cover letter guide here , or access any of our other useful tools and resources on our careers resource page.