How to write a great cover letter

By Neil Patrick

Whilst I have talked a great deal on this blog  about the ways in which the job hunting process has changed beyond recognition over the last few years, there is still need to write a great cover letter every time you send out your resume to a potential employer. So I am happy to share this video which explains how you can do this in a series of short soundbites.

This is a brief video, but do pay attention to all the points made – they may be short, but they contain valuable insights into how recruiters think and act when they receive a resume.

The most important point in my view is that you simply cannot use the same cover letter for every post you apply for. It is essential that you customise each letter to  show that you understand the specific needs that the organisation has…and how your own unique experience and accomplishments make you the best candidate for the role.

Remember too that your goal in writing a great cover letter is to ensure it is so engaging for the reader that they feel they must read your resume. Looked at another way, it is a sure bet that a clearly generic cover letter will guarantee that no-one even bothers to look at your resume once they have read the cover letter.

Writing a great cover letter is an art as much as a science and there is no such thing as an ideal which everyone can use. It  may (and should) be only about half a page long, but it is perhaps the most critical half page of writing you will ever do. So approach it with the care it deserves and invest the time each time you send it out to ensure it’s the truly compelling read it needs to be. And that means it should be as much about showing you understand the organisation as about why you are such a great match for their needs.

My thanks go to CareerBuilder for the film production.