When it comes to job applications in the corporate or government sectors, writing an effective cover letter is key to grabbing an employer’s attention from the very first second and showing them why they should continue on to read your CV. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to summarise your best skills and lead with a great first impression, while also providing a space to address why you’re an ideal fit for the role and let the employer really get to know you.

As a leader in Indigenous recruitment, here we provide some of our top cover letter tips to help your job application shine and increase your chances of being shortlisted for your dream job.

Open Strong

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but employers and hiring managers need to make quick decisions all the time. As candidates, we only have seconds to capture their attention and translate that into a follow-up, so opening strong is vital.

Traditionally, a lot of candidates start off their cover letters with formal language that can accidentally border on cliché. Every week, we see introductions that go something like, “I’m applying for [job] that I found advertised on [job site]”. While this kind of opening is not inherently bad, you should always try to use this space to its full potential.

This could mean starting with an eye-catching statement, something memorable but still informative. For example: why are you excited about this role? What makes you the best fit for their consideration? If the hiring manager has written anything personal about themselves, it’s always good to aim for a personal connection.

Sell Yourself and Your Personality

Many candidates who first approach us don’t see the need to create a cover letter – but the truth is, they’re missing out on an important tool for their application. Resumes are great, and they’re necessary to list your skills and experiences, but they often just scratch the surface of what you have to offer as a candidate.

The cover letter gives you an opportunity to expand on your best skills and experiences and provide further context while also linking them to elements of the job ad. Don’t just tell employers what you can do; use real-life examples and results to show them, and link these skills, attributes and experience back the criteria in the job ad.

Additionally, it’s difficult to get your personality across in a resume. With a cover letter, you can utilise dynamic language and descriptors that get across who you are as a person; that way, employers can see where you may fit into the current work culture. Most advertisements will give an idea of what the culture is like, so refer to these points and explain how you are uniquely suited to thrive in that environment. 

Remember the Basics

It may seem obvious, but there are certain key details that should always appear on your cover letter, such as the title of the vacancy, your name and accurate contact details for easy reference. Poor grammar and spelling can give the wrong impression, so be sure to read the letter back to yourself several times to try and catch any niggling mistakes. Formatting is also important; is the font hard to read? Ideally, it will be the same one you used on your CV to keep things consistent.

Finally, don’t forget to tailor your cover letter! We’ve touched on it a little in the points above, but it really is crucial to tailor each cover letter to the job you’re applying for. A ‘cookie-cutter’ application will not present you in the best light, so be sure to demonstrate that you’re engaged in the job and have paid attention to the advertisement.  

Keeping these basics front of mind when writing a cover letter will ensure it is easy to read, grabs the employer’s attention and allows them to process your application faster thanks to its easily accessible information.

Summary

At the end of the day, having a winning cover letter in your arsenal is one of the best ways to reach employers and increase the chances of success in your next job search. These tips will go a long way towards crafting that perfect cover letter – but sometimes, an expert eye can also make all the difference. 

At FPRS, we specialise in Indigenous recruitment and we’re here to help you thrive in today’s job market. With expert recruiters from many different backgrounds, our team can work with you to create the best cover letter and CV combo whether you are looking for a corporate job or government role. Get in touch today and kick-start your next job hunt.