{"id":28383,"date":"2020-04-30T10:36:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T08:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/?p=28383"},"modified":"2020-04-30T10:36:36","modified_gmt":"2020-04-30T08:36:36","slug":"cover-letter-dos-donts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/cover-letter-dos-donts\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Cover Letter Dos and Don’ts They Didn’t Tell You About at School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cover letters, which are attached to the front of resumes and CVs<\/a>, are essential for making a positive first impression. Many employers will filter job applications based on cover letters, and also use them to find contact details quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cover letter can make or break an application. And for most people, a few simple tweaks can lift their cover letters miles above the competition. Recruitment managers are used to rambling blocks of text that leave out essential information – which creates a huge opportunity for those that get it right.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a straightforward, practical checklist that will give your cover letter that extra shine.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dos <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Include\u00a0Contact\u00a0Information at the\u00a0Top of\u00a0The\u00a0Page\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Cover letters should follow a standard letter format. You should address it to the recipient (along with the company address) and include your name, physical address, and\u00a0contact details\u00a0like your email and mobile number in the top left or right-hand corner.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many employers will use your cover letter to find contact information when they want to get in touch, so make it easy to find.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Use a\u00a0Pre-Written\u00a0Template\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ever been told that you should always write a cover letter from scratch? We think that\u2019s pretty bad advice. Why wouldn\u2019t you use a professionally-written template as a reference point?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key phrase here is\u00a0as a reference point. Use a template to inform your structure and tone, and to ensure you haven\u2019t left\u00a0any essential pieces of information\u00a0out.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. <\/strong>Use\u00a0Bullet\u00a0Points\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Employers aren\u2019t going to treat your cover letter like a piece of literary fiction. Instead, they\u2019re more likely to\u00a0scan\u00a0it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enable recipients to pinpoint essential information, particularly past experience and qualifications, by using bullet points. You should also opt for two and three-line paragraphs to increase readability.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. <\/strong>Focus on the benefits you can provide\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Focus on the experience and qualifications that demonstrate direct value to your employer<\/a>. If possible, talk about specific results that you have delivered in the past.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should also communicate your knowledge of the company when talking about what you have to offer. By highlighting your experience as it relates to the recipient\u2019s organization, you are showing that you have done your research.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"perfect<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019ts <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Don\u2019t<\/strong> Let\u00a0Any\u00a0Grammatical\u00a0Errors\u00a0Sneak\u00a0In\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s one thing that can kill a job application faster than a speeding bullet, it\u2019s grammatical sloppiness. Avoid grammatical mistakes by thoroughly proofreading your cover letter before sending it. Many recipients will put a cover letter with just one grammatical error straight into the bin.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Don\u2019t<\/strong>\u00a0Write a\u00a0Novel\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Assume that the person responsible for filtering applications is short on time and wants to find necessary information as quickly as possible. Make a list of the most essential and persuasive points prior to writing and focus on them.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Break up your content into short paragraphs so that readers aren\u2019t faced with an impenetrable wall of text, use a medium-sized font and, as mentioned before, use bullet points if possible.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Don\u2019t<\/strong> Try to\u00a0Be\u00a0Informal\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a straightforward tip: don\u2019t try to be friends with the recipient. Keep things professional. Many applicants try to endear themselves to recipients by being informal. But this is always a mistake. A casual tone communicates unprofessionalism and a tendency towards over-familiarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t\u00a0<\/strong>Make it\u00a0All\u00a0About\u00a0You\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This might sound a little paradoxical. It\u2019s your <\/em>cover letter, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, your experience is important. But this experience needs to be outlined in the context of how it benefits the goals and mission of the potential employer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Describe ways in which past employers are similar to the one you are applying to, highlight personal qualities which fit with the company\u2019s values<\/a>, and focus on qualifications that are directly relevant to the role you are seeking to fill.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cultivate Your Talent at EU Business School <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re eager to build a career in the business sector, you\u2019ll need to draw on a wide range of abilities and experience to ensure your own and your employer\u2019s success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A degree from\u00a0EU Business School will provide you with a solid foundation of business and entrepreneurial skills, along with hands-on industry-relevant\u00a0experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"eu<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cover letters, which are attached to the front of resumes and CVs, are essential for making a positive first impression. Many employers will filter job applications based on cover letters, and also use them to find contact details quickly.\u00a0 A cover letter can make or break an application. And for most people, a few simple tweaks can lift their cover letters miles above the competition. Recruitment managers are used to rambling blocks of text that leave out essential information – which creates a huge opportunity for those that get it right.   Here\u2019s a straightforward, practical checklist that will give your cover letter that extra shine.   […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28386,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[635],"tags":[1325,4659,2159,1756,1487],"class_list":["post-28383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-students","tag-advice-to-students","tag-cover-letter","tag-curriculum","tag-cv","tag-job-search","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\n4 Cover Letter Dos and Don'ts ? | EU Business School<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A cover letter can make or break an application. 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