Composing a compelling cover letter: it's more than just words
By Liz Dinse and Jude Hanley
When I started work on this book, I recalled the help I needed when writing cover letters myself, as well as the advice I wished I’d found in similar books. I also recalled many of the conversations I’d had with school, college and university students over the years to help them write cover letters that would result in interview offers. I didn’t want this book to be one that people looked at and then discarded because it didn’t tell them what they needed to know or was not accessible to them.
When I’m talking to students, the phrases that come up time and again are ‘tailor the letter to the job and the employer’, as well as ‘be unique not generic’ and ‘don’t send the same letter to every employer.’ I’m usually met with blank or confused faces and an explanation along with examples is usually required before understanding is gained. These elements were consequently key ones to include, along with clear explanations to enable readers to apply what they’d read to their own letters.
As a visual learner, rather than just reading about a topic, I find it helps to see examples and pictures in order to visualise the finished product. Cover letters are no different; therefore, Liz and I made sure that example words, sentences and letter layouts were included throughout. Each chapter has been broken down into small, easily digestible chunks with an ‘in a nutshell’ summary at the end. We’ve all reached the end of chapters in books unable to really remember the main points of what we’ve just read. Therefore, the end of chapter summaries help prompt readers and embed the learning into their memories. There is also a final ‘in a nutshell’ chapter which sums up the key points from the whole book, kind of like an executive summary.
The use of AI is a common topic of conversation and, on the face of it, seems to be a quick and easy way to apply for a job without needing to put in too much effort. People I’ve spoken to are divided about the use of AI, so Liz and I agreed it was important AI was discussed openly within the book. Rather than shy away from it and pretend people don’t use it, the book talks about the pros and cons of using AI and describes how to use it effectively.
One chapter that Liz and I both agreed was important to include was about disclosing and sharing sensitive information. Liz’s work with people with disabilities, along with my interest in equality and diversity, made this chapter close to both our hearts. This is an area that many people struggle with. They are unsure if they need to disclose at the cover letter stage and, if they do disclose, they are concerned that mentioning certain things will put them at a disadvantage against other candidates. It can sometimes be the case that, due to the subject they wish to disclose, the fear of not knowing how to do it and how it will be received by an employer puts them off applying entirely. Chapter 9 goes into detail regarding several sensitive topics and aims to support anyone who needs clarity regarding disclosing by providing examples on how to do it.
Earlier, I mentioned the phrases Liz and I have repeatedly said. These also include ‘have you tried writing a speculative letter?’ Again, this was often followed by students asking ‘what is that?’ and ‘how do I write such a letter?’ So, in the book we have included an extensive section in Chapter 8 that will answer all these questions.
Of course, a cover letter isn’t just about applying for a job, it can be used for numerous other purposes including asking for a promotion, resigning or negotiating a pay rise. Writing this type of letter is hard for some to visualise, as it’s not something they’ve needed to do before and the fear of rejection or the letter being received badly puts them off writing it. Again, the chapter on this hopefully reassures readers about how to do this effectively, along with example phrases that can be used.
It was important to Liz and I that the book wasn’t too wordy, was practical rather than purely theoretical, and could be used as a go-to guide for anyone in need of a cover letter. Hopefully you will agree that we have successfully achieved this and the book will enable all readers to write a compelling cover letter.