5 Steps to a perfect English cover letter
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Imagine you are a recruiter and you need to go through hundreds of applications to choose just a few to invite for interviews. What is it that gives you the first impression of the applicant? That’s right, it’s the covering letter. Even though you might have a perfect CV in English you need a great covering letter, otherwise no recruiter will get as far as reading it. Here’s how to write a covering letter that will get you noticed.
Get to the point
Don’t waste the recruiter’s time (Remember, they are reading hundreds of these letters!), when you begin your cover letter, get to the point immediately. Explain why you’re writing and include the title of the position you’re interested in. You may even want to say where you heard of the opening: “I am writing to express my interest in the Sales Manager position advertised on your Web site. I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your review.” Once the recruiter knows exactly which job you are interested in, you can move onto the next step.
Match your skills
Make life easy for the recruiter by explaining exactly how you meet the requirements in the job advertisement. Use specific examples from your CV to show how you meet or exceed the requirements stated in the job advertisement and use a phrase like “As you will see from my CV…” to introduce them. This encourages the recruiter to look at your CV and makes it easier for them to see what a great fit for the position you are. Finally sum up with something like this: “I am confident that these combined experiences make me an ideal candidate for this position.”
Demonstrate your English ability
Don’t just say you have good English skills – demonstrate them. In business English , clarity is the key to effective communication. Don’t try and show off with long, complex sentences. Keep your sentences short, the the points clear, and the style professional to make sure your letter goes in the ‘Yes’ pile.
Sell yourself but be honest
Remember the reason for this letter – to sell yourself to the employer and get the job! Explain how you can benefit the employer, what makes you unique or better than the other candidates, and why you are a perfect match for the position. Use action verbs such as facilitated, developed and managed to describe your job responsibilities, and make claims such as “I strongly believe I possess the right combination of skills and experience you are looking for” with confidence. Don’t exaggerate or lie, though, because you will get caught out later!
Proofread and edit your letter
Don’t waste all the effort you’ve put into writing your letter by sending it out with mistakes in it. Make sure to read your letter again before you send it. Look closely for spelling and grammatical errors and make sure it’s not too long. Finally, put yourself in the employer’s shoes, or pretend that you are the employer, and decide if you would hire the candidate who wrote the letter. If not, go back and make revisions until you have covering letter that shows what a perfect fit you are for the job.
So, now you have a perfect covering letter, all that’s left to do is add your English CV and send it out to the employer!
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How to Leverage Your Study Abroad Experience in a Cover Letter
Why write a cover letter?
A cover letter is your opportunity to tell a company why they should hire you . While your resume typically lists out your skills and qualifications, your cover letter should explain why you are passionate and interested in the role you are applying for and exactly what value you would add to the team.
This may feel a bit daunting, but the good news is you can often pull from your study abroad experience to do just that! Studying abroad supplements classwork or previous work experience, offering you the opportunity to strengthen the soft skills and competencies that employers often look for.
Common skills and competencies developed abroad are:
- Confidence and curiosity
- Empathy and self-awareness
- Global perspective and cultural knowledge
- Adaptability and relatability
- Teamwork & collaboration
- Fundraising & budgeting
In addition to the skills mentioned above, there are many others you might develop while studying abroad. We recommend creating some space before, during, and after your experience to make a note of the various skills you are developing along the way. For example, budgeting and fundraising for your program (see our EF Study Abroad Budget Calculator ) help you to develop skills in areas like money management, event planning, and marketing which can all also be leveraged during your job search.
To show you how all of these skills can be incorporated into your cover letter, we have created an example from the perspective of a student who traveled on our London: The City Experience program who is now applying to an entry-level sales position.
Albert Gator Cover Letter
As seen in this example, there are many ways in which your experience abroad can give you an advantage when it comes to your job search. For specific questions on how to speak to your experience abroad feel free to reach out to our Traveler Support Team at [email protected] or 877-485-4184.
Stay tuned for our upcoming blog on how to leverage your study abroad experience in your future interviews!
Find more “How To’s” and resources here .
Related Articles More from Author
How To: Planning, Preparing, Traveling and Returning From Your Program
5 Things You Should Know about Short-term, Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs with EF
How to Plan a Program (And How We Help Make it Happen)
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Do your research and personalize your cover letter. Read up on the company, the department, and the job – search the whole internet if you must, including tweets and LinkedIn profiles of employees. Then, casually show off that you are a passionate expert who does not just copy and paste away.
Even though you might have a perfect CV in English you need a great covering letter, otherwise no recruiter will get as far as reading it. Here’s how to write a covering letter that will get you noticed.
Your study abroad experience will help you develop the skills and competencies employers are looking for. Leverage your experience in your cover letter.
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Cover letter ‹ GO Blog | EF United States. 2 articles. More parents want their children to study abroad – here’s why. 3 min read. With the rise of the global economy, it’s unsurprising that students are increasingly keen to study,... How to write the perfect cover letter: A blueprint. 2 min read.
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