How to write the perfect cover letter

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How to write the perfect cover letter

Want to land an interview to your dream job? If you follow these guidelines, you might just get an interview from your cover letter alone.

What should a good cover letter do?

Your cover letter needs to be a focussed sales pitch that outlines why you’re the best candidate for the job. It’s important that you write a new cover letter for each and every job you apply to. It’s obvious to employers when a job seeker reuses the same cover letter over and over again, and it always ends in the same place – straight in the bin!

A good cover letter will do 3 main things:

Outline what it is you’re applying for
Explain why you’re interested in this job at this company
Summarise your key strengths and skills and how they relate to this job

Let’s now take a look at how you build an amazing cover letter, and what to include in each paragraph.

Structure

First paragraph

You've got 30 seconds to impress your potential employer. So your opening paragraph needs to be short and sweet, whilst still attention grabbing. Make sure you state the job you’re applying for, where you found it and when you’re available to start. This shows your eagerness and commitment to the role.

Second paragraph

It’s important to use this paragraph to tell the employer why it is you’re interested in this role and what attracts you to their company. For those with previous experience in a similar role or company, this should be easy, as you can draw on this to show how you've excelled in this type of work in the past.

If you've not had similar work experience, then some research on the company is crucial. You’ll need to use what you've learned to highlight why you want this job above anything else. Don’t be afraid to flatter – e.g. ‘you are the industry leader’. However you must be appropriate. Trying to flatter a start-up company with a compliment of being an industry leader will be seen through immediately by any self-aware employer.

Third paragraph

Now for the most crucial part - summarise your strengths and skills, and relate them to the job description. This will not only show your worth, but also prepare you for the interview. (We’ll discuss why in part three of this series). But for now all you need to know is that if you cannot demonstrate how your strengths and skills are perfect this specific job, then you might as well not bother applying.

Final paragraph

Lastly, don’t forget to state any dates that you are not available for an interview (don’t list too many dates – you want to make a good impression!) and thank the employer for their consideration. Sign off with ‘Yours Sincerely’ and your name.

How should you present your cover letter?

Typed, and in a similar style to your CV (e.g. use the same font type)
Put your address in the top right hand corner, miss a line and then put the date. The recipient’s address should go on the left, on the line after the date.
Double/triple/quadruple check your spelling and grammar! Get a friend to proof read it once you’re finished.

For extra help, please see part one of our “How to get a job” series: 5 easy steps to writing your CV.

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Spotlight on Saudi: Middle East legal market and salary update

by Sophy Moyes • 03 May, 2024

Join us for an exclusive webinar as we delve into the latest findings from our comprehensive salary survey, spotlighting the dynamic legal landscape of Saudi Arabia. While our recent focus has been on the UAE, we are now shining a light on the diversity of opportunities emerging in Saudi demands. We will be exploring: A comprehensive overview of the current market landscape, highlighting key trends and developments shaping the industry in the Middle East. Valuable insights into the latest salary trends prevalent in the Middle East job market for the year 2024, and how they impact professionals across various sectors. The compensation landscape within law firms and in-house legal departments in Saudi Arabia, examining salary benchmarks, factors influencing pay, and emerging trends. The nuances of compensation packages offered to Saudi nationals versus expatriates, exploring disparities, considerations, and strategies for equitable remuneration practices. The standard benefit packages being offered in the Middle East job market, including perks, allowances, and additional incentives that are becoming increasingly prevalent. You can view this webinar from your computer, tablet or mobile phone. This discussion is tailored specifically to partners and HR professionals within legal practice, as well as legal hiring managers and HR business partners for lawyers operating within the Financial Services (FS) and Industrial & Commercial (I&C) sectors in the Middle East.

"2025 and Beyond" Question and Answer session

26 Feb, 2024

Our webinar 2025 and Beyond: Why Your Hiring, Learning, and Culture Need to Evolve brought together thought leaders Enrique Rubio (Hacking HR), Lisa Skinner Källström (Teamtailor), and Hydrogen Group’s Dean Jennings and Michelle Miller. The conversation explored strategies used to tackle the challenges of the future workforce, shift organisational cultures towards lasting partnerships, and ensure teams are equipped for the age of artificial intelligence. _ The Q&A box was brimming! Our webinar offered participants the chance to consult our HR experts on addressing shifts in the people and culture realm as we approach 2024 and beyond. Interesting questions were raised, and we compiled them all to seek and reached out to our experts to get some definitive answers. For a recap on the webinar, check out our blog Navigating the Future: Insights from our Webinar "2025 and Beyond" So, here we are. Your questions - answered! - How can companies make people feel more secure in their jobs? Is it just a matter of increasing communication? Lisa suggested a shift towards a more sustainable approach. 'In recent years, we have seen many companies experience massive growth, and the need to get great talent onboard - hence offering extremely generous compensation packages. Unfortunately, many have now faced layoffs, and while the compensation and benefit strategies are not the sole reasons, I would like to propose a more sustainable approach for the future. [Increase benefits as the company grows, and as business results allow, we can increase pension levels or similar benefits – and discuss it internally! Open dialogue about results, investment choices, and their rationale fosters a sense of involvement among team members and signals the company's commitment to a sustainable direction.]' Dean echoed concerns about job security in today's volatile economy and advises, 'In today's uncertain economic climate, job security is a concern. 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