Writing a cover letter

• A catchy opening paragraph;
• Why you want to work for the employer in question + why you want this particular job;
• What qualifies you for the position (give examples);
• Your prior experience;
• A closing sentence;
• No more than one page (A4).

• If you mention that you are interested in the company, then you should also mention why and based on what factors or reasons.
• Describe your motivation in your own words, but make use of the language from the job description.
• You do not have to prove that you meet every single requirement. It is better to choose two and provide examples to support your claim.

Why do you want to work for this employer in particular, and in this specific position? This can be difficult to put into words. To explore this in greater depth, ask yourself the following questions. You will use your answers to write your covering letter.

• What is it about this organisation that appeals to me, compared to other organisations in the same industry?
• What makes this vacancy interesting?
• What is my outlook regarding this professional field? What aspects do I feel are important in relation to the client or target audience in this role?
• What aspects do I feel are just as important to me as to the employer (review the mission, vision or values of the employer)?
• What do I see myself doing in this role?
• And possibly: how would this job contribute to my ambitions? What do I want to learn while working for this organisation?

• Adjust your writing style based on the organisation to which you are applying. A cover letter to a government institution will inevitably be more formal than one to an advertising agency.
• Choose an original opening sentence. You want to grab the reader's attention and stand out from the crowd.
• A letter makes a general impression on the reader. Be sure that this impression is in keeping with how you want to come across.

• There must be no spelling errors. Ask for help with this if you need it.
• Make sure the structure and layout are clear and neat.
• Avoid using abbreviations.
• Use a professional-sounding email address.
• Submit your cover letter as a PDF document.

• Save the text of the vacancy on your computer so you can refer to it later.
• Before you start, decide which points you want to emphasise. Examples you might consider are:
  •  What kind of organisation are you dealing with? Write down the aspects that appeal to you.
  • Where is there a match between you and the vacancy? Which of these is most important?
  • What motivates you exactly?
• Write what you want to say on Post-its, using key words. This provides an easy overview and lets you move things around when deciding what to say when.
• Start writing, even if the sentences are not yet prefect. It is easier to go back and polish the letter later than to write it perfectly the first time.
• If you have not yet thought up a good opening sentence, go ahead and skip it for the time being.