Before you even begin to think about how you’re going to nail that interview, you first need the nail that cover letter, but how?
In this blog, we detail our top tips for writing the perfect cover letter.
What is a Cover Letter
The first step in writing the perfect cover letter is understanding what one is.
While your CV acts as a list of your skills, academic and professional history, a cover letter allows you to expand on that with a few relevant examples of past accomplishments.
The most important features of a cover letter are:
Explaining how your skills meet the job requirements
Explaining why you want to work for this particular organisation
Explaining how your work experience meets the job requirements
Your cover letter needs to convince the hiring manager that you are the right person for this job, and the easiest way to do that is basing your cover letter around the job requirements.
The Must Haves
You may read these and think “well, obviously” but you can never be too sure, and we want you to have the best cover letter possible!
Elements to include:
Contact information
The name of the position you’re applying for
The name (if possible) of the hiring manager
A brief description of why you’re the perfect fit for the role
Your skills and experience
A succinct conclusion that encapsulates why you want the role
Your name
The Tips
1. Research, Research, Research
As you’re writing a letter, you’ll need to try and find out who to address it to.
Research the company, find out what they do, what sort of services they offer, what skills they’re looking for.
Use this information to personalise your cover letter and demonstrate your ability to use your initiative.
2. Show your personality
Working in the care sector is perhaps one of the most personal and intimate jobs out there.
You’ll be working with vulnerable people who will rely heavily on your support, and the same goes for your colleagues.
Expressing your passion for working in care, and perhaps the satisfaction you get from working in a team will go a long way towards showing you’re right for the job.
3. Use relevant experiences
When detailing your working experiences, try to tailor them to the organisation you’re applying for.
If you’re applying for a home that cares for people with learning disabilities, talk about your related experiences.
If you don’t have any experience in the sector the organisation specialises in, acknowledge this, but mention your desire to work more in this sector and develop your skills in this area
4. Keep it brief
When writing your cover letter, bear in mind that the hiring manager will most likely be reading a lot of CVs.
Drafting a brief structure for your cover letter will help you keep it concise. Assign a topic to each paragraph and try to keep sentences clear and uncluttered.
When thinking about length, you should be aiming for at least half a side of A4 to a full page, but no longer.
Generally, the closer to half a page the better, but if you have some really relevant experience, go for the full page.
5. Finish strong
Use the closing paragraph of your cover letter to briefly recap your interest in the role and why you think you’d be a great fit for the organisation.
When signing off, be sure to use a call to action, but nothing too forward.
Express that you’re thankful for them taking the time to read your letter and CV, and you’d love the opportunity to discuss the role with them further.
Cover Letter Success
Writing a cover letter can be difficult but follow the steps above and you should have a cover letter fit for success.
At Care First UK, we have been helping care workers across the UK find their perfect role since 2015.
If you’re looking for your next opportunity, or are considering entering into the care profession, why not contact us today on 01202 854777 during the week, 07810 349555 or 07785 331104 in the evenings or weekends, or email us recruitment@carefirstuk.co.uk.