Cover letters can make or break your job application

Creating a great first impression when going for a new job is key to your success. Your cover letter will be one of the first things that the hiring manager or recruiter sees, so you want to make sure it stands out.?

Your cover letter should ideally be one page long and never more than two pages. Take the time to make sure you have no typos or spelling errors. Your grammar should be outstanding and it should be easy to read.?

Make sure that you tailor the cover letter to suit the role you are going for. If you are too busy to tailor the letter then you are making too many applications. Make less applications but more high-quality ones.?

You should directly address the person you are writing to. We’ve received countless cover letters from people addressing us as Mr/Mrs Recruitment Manager or sending me a cover letter addressed to a different person. We appreciate that people are making multiple applications but if you want to be taken seriously and create a good impression - use the person’s name that you are writing too.

Cover Letter Example

The first paragraph should give the reader an understanding of why they are receiving this letter from you.

Please find attached my resume for the position of Manager advertised on your website on 22 January 2020.

The second paragraph should be a summary of your qualifications.

I am CA Qualified; hold a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from Brilliant University (2010) with a Credit average; and possess 10 years Business Services experience.

The next couple of paragraphs should summarise the entirety of your experience. Provide detail around the roles you have held in the last couple of years and leave the finer points of older roles for the reader to find in your resume. When describing your most recent role summarise the position and provide a snapshot of what you do that a potential employer will be interested in. For an Accountant this includes the types of clients they deal with; the level of responsibility they have on the jobs; and any additional noteworthy points such as supervising juniors.

Since January 2015 I have been employed at Firm C where I was promoted to a Manager role in June 2017. My role consists of 50% Business Services compliance and 50% Advisory which includes cash flow forecasting and tax planning and advice. The client base is a range of SME’s typically in the $5-10M turnover range but going as high as $90M. These clients come from a range of industries and I am autonomously responsible for managing the jobs to the sign-off stage. This includes reviewing the work and training a group of five junior Accountants.

From January 2010 to December 2014 I held Business Services roles with Firm B and Firm A which are further detailed on my resume.

The closing paragraphs of the letter should detail why you are looking for a new role; provide an indication of salary; and make note of any other additional factors that will be important for the employer to know such as your ability to commence and any time off you will require and that you expect that the application will be held in confidence.

I am seeking a Manager role that can provide me with a progression path towards Partnership. I am looking to improve on my current salary of $120K including superannuation and can commence within 4 weeks of resignation.

Please note that I have a holiday booked for two weeks in late July which I would be happy to discuss upon interview. My current employer is unaware that I am seeking a new position so I appreciate you holding this application in confidence.

Using References

A final tip on the cover letter concerns references. Written references are dying out but if you leave the company you worked for on good terms getting a written reference can be a powerful tool in your cover letter. If you have managed to get a reference, not only should you attach it to your application but including a paragraph that cites a sentence from the referee will do wonders for your application. Put a paragraph such as this directly following the information on your time with the company the reference comes from.

In a reference attached to this application from Jake Smith, Partner at Firm C, he comments “Candidate A is a hard-worker who has all the technical skills you would want for someone at this level. I highly recommend Candidate A as they will be an asset to any firm they work for”.