{"id":12032,"date":"2024-07-26T09:50:23","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T22:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/?p=12032"},"modified":"2024-07-29T14:31:27","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T03:31:27","slug":"crafting-the-perfect-cover-letter-our-comprehensive-guide-to-stand-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/crafting-the-perfect-cover-letter-our-comprehensive-guide-to-stand-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Crafting the Perfect Cover Letter: Our Comprehensive Guide to Stand Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Crafting the Perfect Cover Letter: Our Comprehensive Guide to Stand Out<\/span><\/h1>\n

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Entering into a new job hunt can be a daunting task, but with time dedicated to proper preparation, you can take measures that set yourself up for success.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re likely already familiar with <\/span>writing a CV or resume<\/span><\/a>, which is an integral part of any job application, but how comfortable are you with writing a cover letter? If you\u2019re looking for guidance on how to write a cover letter, or for advice on improving yours, then read on for our ultimate guide on crafting the perfect cover letter.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is a Cover Letter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A cover letter is a one-page document that complements your resume in a job application, but how exactly does it differ?<\/span><\/p>\n

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The difference between a cover letter and a resume<\/b><\/h3>\n

Your resume should present a detailed list of your experience, skills, and achievements. This is an impersonal document that includes as much information as possible in a concise, easy-to-read format. You might use the same resume to apply to multiple jobs, or make only minor edits for different roles.<\/span><\/p>\n

A cover letter, on the other hand, should show more of your personality, and should be tailored to each individual position you\u2019re applying for.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How long should a cover letter be<\/b><\/h3>\n

Your cover letter should be as concise as possible, while still including enough details to exhibit your suitability for the role. It\u2019s recommended that you keep your cover letter to a maximum of 500 words, broken down into paragraphs for easy reading by the hiring manager.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How to Format a Cover Letter<\/span><\/h2>\n

Your cover letter should have three main sections; introduction, body, and conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Introduction<\/b><\/h3>\n

Think of this as your first chance to make a good impression and stand out to hiring managers. You\u2019ll want to include a brief introduction about yourself, along with your education and any relevant employment history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be sure to start off by addressing the hiring manager or job ad contact directly, as this shows that you\u2019ve taken the time to individualise your cover letter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, explain why you\u2019re applying to the position, including details about your suitability to the role, as well as why you think you would be a good culture fit for the company. This is your opportunity to show that you\u2019ve done your homework, so make that obvious to the reader!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Body<\/b><\/h3>\n

Once you\u2019ve introduced yourself and a bit about your experience, now\u2019s your chance to demonstrate your skills by giving examples of how you\u2019ve applied them previously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Refer to the job description to find out what the role calls for specifically, and do your best to tie those into your cover letter. If you haven\u2019t yet developed the skills mentioned in the ad, then be creative and detail your transferable skills, and how you could apply these while expanding your skillset.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anything that you mention in the body of your cover letter should be linked to what\u2019s on your resume to ensure consistency and cohesiveness across your application.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

Your conclusion paragraph should act as a quick summary to recap the points you\u2019ve already hit on – there shouldn\u2019t be any new information here. You should aim to reiterate your interest in the role, as well why the company should be interested in you as a candidate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before your sign off, express interest in further dialogue, saying something like \u201cI would love to discuss the role further with you\u201d, \u201cI look forward to hearing from you and discussing my eligibility for the role\u201d, or something along those lines.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Download our Cover Letter Template<\/a><\/b><\/h5>\n

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Writing your Cover Letter<\/span><\/h2>\n

The tone of your cover letter should be professional and polite, but should still show off your personality. It\u2019s important to find the right balance for this, and it can take some adapting and reworking to find the appropriate tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important for your cover letter to demonstrate your enthusiasm and eagerness towards the opportunity, being specific about details and not meandering too far from the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

It should go without saying that you need to proofread your cover letter (and resume), and ideally have another person look over them too. This is to ensure that it\u2019s free from typos, and reads well to an outsider.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Employers Look for in a Cover Letter<\/span><\/h2>\n

Remember when writing your cover letter that it\u2019s as much about showing off your skills as it is about satisfying the hiring manager enough to make it to the next stage of the process. Keep in mind that employers are mainly looking to gain an understanding of your personality, how you perform professionally, and how their team will benefit from bringing you on board.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is important to show that you have done your homework and have a good understanding of the company you are applying for and what the role will entail. Employees want to hire candidates who are genuinely interested in their job, not just any job- so do your research so you can explain why the organisation and role appeals to you!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Be work fit for life\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

At Miller Leith, our recruitment specialists can help you find the right role. <\/span>Get in touch with Miller Leith<\/span><\/a> today to begin refining your job hunt.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Set yourself up for success by perfecting the art of writing a cover letter. We breakdown how to write a cover letter, how to format your cover letter, and what potential employers will be looking for to help you stand out from the crowd!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":12058,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[63,66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-candidate-insights","category-life-at-miller-leith"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12032"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12061,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12032\/revisions\/12061"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/12058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.millerleith.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}