In today’s market place we have lost confidence in our leaders and in our corporate institutions. The tide is turning and we are now looking for more ethical and meaningful careers.

This means that ethical employers have “the pick of the bunch” and they can afford to be more selective.

So at every stage you need to stand out and impress them. This starts with a covering letter.

Remember your covering letter introduces your CV, your CV gets you the interview and the interview gets you the job.

Some companies are even using the cover letter as part of their formalized assessment criteria, particularly for graduate recruitment. They are assessing the applicants written communication, how much they have researched the role/company and their influencing style as well as their match to the key requirements for the job.

So how do you stand out from the crowd?

Top Five Tips

1. Spend time preparing a short good quality letter, which together with your CV makes a powerful statement – “I am a good quality candidate and you should be talking to me” should be the underlying message contained in your application
2. Do your research. Look at the company’s website for their values, vision, mission statement. In your cover letter & at interview tell them how they fit with your own values, vision and mission? Provide examples.
3. The fine line. Try to strike the right balance between being passionate about what you believe in and “spouting off” at interview. It is better to show/bring evidence of how you are living that passion. For example through volunteering.
4. Be realistic. Don’t spoil your chances by saying things like “I won’t work with X, Y and Z company.” Being too opinionated can come across as arrogant. At the end of the day you will be hired on whether there is a match between your skills, knowledge and experience and the requirements for the role.
5. Questions. More often than not you will be asked if you have any questions at interview. This is your time to show your enthusiasm for this company and what it is trying to achieve. If you believe that you are a close fit – tell them!
6. Finally be true to yourself at every stage and your energy and passion will shine through.

Written By:

Fiona Biggins

Career Coach