How to write the perfect cover letter
Your cover letter should emphasize that you are the perfect candidate for the job. We give you 11 solid tips to make it happen.
The letter of application supplements your CV and completes your application . Because here you can provide arguments for your employment that go beyond the hard facts of the CV. Your cover letter should make three key things clear:
- Your motivation : Why do you want to get this job at this company? Show your future employer that you have deliberately chosen his company. Make it clear why the job offer appeals to you. The cover letter introduction is the best place to do this.
- Your suitability : In your cover letter, underline that you are the ideal candidate for the position. Because you have already been able to successfully use the required knowledge and skills in another position and convert them into convincing work results. Let concrete successes speak for you instead of stringing together mere claims.
- The added value for the employer : Why should the company hire you and no one else? What skills and characteristics do you bring with you that other candidates don’t have? After reading the letter of application, the recruiter should only have one conclusion: his company will benefit from hiring you.
If you can score in this regard, your application has a good chance of being successful and you will be invited to an interview. But one thing is also clear: Such a sophisticated cover letter does not just fall out of the sky. It takes some effort.
And this work is worth it, because many HR managers still think highly of the cover letter. After all, it makes it tangible, even before the interview, what kind of person is behind the application. And this information cannot easily be elicited from the CV. Anyone who slips up when writing the cover letter is putting obstacles in their own way.
This is how your cover letter works: 11 important tips for success
Such a letter of application is not rocket science. However, what applies to every letter of application – whether for an apprenticeship, a career starter or an unsolicited application: good legibility is essential and the spelling must be correct. If you also heed the following tips, you are on the right track.
1. Stay authentic
Your future employer is not looking for a writer. He doesn’t want to frame your cover letter and hang it on the wall. He wants to find out from the few lines what kind of person, what kind of character is applying to him. Credibility is therefore the key to success. Do not copy ready-made sentences from the Internet, but trust your own arguments.
2. Formalities have to be right
The design of the letter of application must match the rest of the application documents – use fonts, font sizes, colors and style elements in a uniform and coordinated manner. You play it safe if you take into account the guidelines of DIN 5008 for the design of business letters. This standard deals with all formal details, from letterhead to line spacing to margins. When applying online, stick to the employer’s possible guidelines: Group your application folder as desired and use the required file format (usually PDF format). Don’t forget to include your signature in digitized form even with digital letters of application.
3. Analyze job posting
Don’t just start writing, take a close look at the job advertisement . What does the employer require, what skills should the applicant have? What kind of character, what personal strengths are desired? Emphasize these points in the body of the cover letter. Provide the recruiter with the qualifications they want to read to increase your chances of getting an interview. In addition, make it clear in a subject line which job advertisement your application letter refers to – at larger companies, open positions often have their own reference number.
4. Research contacts
Find out on whose desk your cover letter ends up and address the person personally in the salutation of the cover letter . You can often find the name of the responsible recruiter in the job advertisement. Otherwise, you can also call the company that is looking and ask about it – this shows self-confidence and sociability. You should only address your letter of application to “Dear Sir or Madam” if you really cannot find an addressee.
5. Establish a personal connection
You may have met the recruiter at a job fair or spoken to them on the phone. Reference this contact or this phone call directly in the introduction to your application letter, because with the large number of applicants, every personal connection is worth its weight in gold. If you know the name of the HR manager responsible, you can include this in the salutation.
6. Express yourself clearly and distinctly
The letter of application should not take up more than one DIN A4 page. Quality clearly comes before quantity here. The recruiter is not interested in your literary skills, but in information that will help them make decisions. Long, complicated sentences and flowery metaphors are therefore taboo in the application letter. If you get your arguments straight to the point , the recruiter will appreciate it.
7. Avoid well-worn introductory sentences and formulations
“I hereby apply for the position as…” or “I read your job advertisement with great interest…” – these and similar introductory sentences were outdated ten years ago. Every HR manager has read them hundreds, if not thousands, of times. They lack any meaningfulness and personality, they state the obvious and do not arouse a spark of curiosity. But especially the first sentences of the letter of application should convince directly. So it’s definitely worth working on a banging introduction. With the salutation, on the other hand, you can rely on proven formulations.
8. Avoid empty phrases and phrases
Some formulations sound professional, but actually say nothing . Many applicants are “looking for a new challenge” – but what does the dream employer do with this information? Others write in their letter of application that they would “always work in a goal- and result-oriented manner” – but if work is not oriented towards goals or results, then what? Space is limited in the cover letter. It is better to fill it with words that underline your enthusiasm and sharpen your applicant profile.
9. Show, don’t tell
In German, for example: “Show, don’t tell.” Anyone can claim to be a team player, creative and a good organizer. However, it is more credible if you wrap your skills and professional experience in a small success story, making it tangible in the main part of your cover letter: “In autumn 2019 I led a small team that was tasked with the graphic redesign of the product catalogue. In customer surveys, the evaluation of the resulting new design was extremely positive. In addition, the company was able to recruit one of the freelancers involved as a permanent employee.” Support your cover letter with facts and figures.
10. Definitely don’t retell the resume
The HR manager can already find out from your CV what school you went to, what internships you have completed and what degree you have in your pocket. The application letter is not there to warm up this information. Show the HR manager which person is hiding behind the facts, certificates and qualifications and why they fit perfectly into the company.
11. Avoid subjunctive moods
Would, could, should – no. You would not only be happy about a feedback, but you look forward to the positive feedback. Let no doubts arise about your suitability or belief by speaking in possibility forms. That’s especially true for the final sentence: End the cover letter with confidence and point confidently to the (hopefully) upcoming interview. Modesty and reserve are praiseworthy character traits, but they can be a disadvantage in the application.
Bonus tip: Salary expectations only on request
In the final part of the letter of application you can formulate your salary expectations – but only if this is explicitly asked for in the job advertisement. If you give your salary expectations without being asked, some HR managers will react with irritation. Financial matters are often only discussed in the interview. The same applies to the earliest possible starting date or entry date: Depending on the position in the cover letter, this information may be of interest, but does not have to be.
The perfect cover letter must “mature”
With these tips in hand, writing your cover letter should be a little easier. Nevertheless, you will probably not succeed in the masterpiece right away. That is normal. If the sentences don’t come together as smoothly as you would like, then take a break. Leave the draft of the cover letter and try again a day later. With fresh ideas and a clear head, the world looks very different. In most cases, it doesn’t matter whether you submit your application today or tomorrow. However, whether your cover letter sets off fireworks or just invites you to take a nap makes a huge difference.
Related posts:
Finding a Job, CV and Cover Letter, JOB HUNTING, Job Interview Tips
