_{Many Employers and recruiters prefer CV’s, Resumes and Cover Letters delivered via email; so the strength of writing skills means the difference between getting an interview, or a trip to the recycling bin.}

_{Your cover letter is your potential employer's first introduction to your personality and it has to convince them that you are genuinely interested in their vacancy and their company. This is every bit as important as the skills and experience you list on your CV or Resume. First impressions count, so your Cover Letter has to make an immediate impact to ensure that your CV or Resume will be read.}

To make your Cover Letter stand out, you should consider the following points:

1. Always email your Cover letter and CV/Resume to a specific person:  

_{Letters addressed "To Whom It May Concern" at best demonstrate that you have little knowledge or interest in the company. Call the company, check their website, and find out who specifically is going to read your application. Make sure you get the right spelling of their name and confirm their title.  Make sure you get the email address that corresponds to that person.}

2. Do not copy and paste from your CV:

_{It's repetitious and creates a bad impression, and as well as being lazy, it doesn’t demonstrate any originality.}

_{3. Use your connections:}

_{If you know people who work at a place where you would like to work, get a referral.  Open your Cover Letter with something on the lines of "I am a friend of Jane Smith who works in your I T Department and through what I know of your company, I would be very interested in joining as (name of role/vacancy)”.   The person reading the message will be more interested in you since Jane Smith has made a recommendation.  He or she will also be more likely to take your application seriously.}

4. Don't Waffle:

_{Keep your letter brief and to the point.  Describe your most recent career achievements and how you think they relate to the job you are applying for.  Include new information about yourself, don’t copy and paste from your CV.  Originality counts and you need to create the right impression.  In some circumstances, “less is more” is blatantly true and that applies here.}

5. Remember to keep your objective in sight:

_{Refer to the job you want; tell them why you think you would be a welcome and strong addition to their organisation.  The reason for good research on the company pays off as you demonstrate your understanding of how you can help them.}

6. Concluding your Cover Letter:

_{Request the employer to call or email you, instead of writing that you'll follow up with them. You still need to follow up to make sure they have in fact received your Cover Letter and CV or Resume; however, eagerness always makes a good impression.  By following up, you are displaying some more of your communication skills as well as your organisational abilities.}

7.  Read back over what you’ve written: 

_{There's nothing worse than not checking what you’ve written to make sure it’s grammatically correct and that you don’t have any spelling errors.  Make sure that you have selected the right Language; it’s very easy to fall into using English US (usually the default language on PC’s and laptops bought in the UK), when you should in fact be using English UK.  Don’t rely on your spell checker, some miss-spelled words are accepted recognised words and your language selection has to be right; English/American is the most common error.}

8. Applying for more than one job:

_{It’s easy to send the wrong Cover Letter and not proof read or double-check the letter before you sign and send it. When you're applying for multiple jobs, it's easy to send the wrong cover letter, or not proof the company name.  Also make sure you have addressed your letter to the right person.}

9. Don’t forget to attach your CV or Resume:

_{You’d be amazed at the number of email applications that arrive without their respective attachments!}

10. Set your email preferences so that you receive a read receipt/receipt acknowledgment:

_{This will provide you with peace of mind that your application has been successfully received at the other end - some email software applications and preferences can prevent receipts being sent, so call the recipient to make sure they have received your CV, it demonstrates good organisational skills and tells the recipient that you are keen and serious about your application.}

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