A cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to an employer and explain why you’re interested in a particular role.
Unlike your CV, which provides an overview of your experience, education and skills, your cover letter should be tailored specifically to the job you’re applying for. It gives you space to highlight the experience and qualities that make you a strong candidate and explain why you want the opportunity.
A good cover letter complements your CV rather than repeating it. Together, they should give a recruiter or hiring manager a clear picture of your experience and what you could bring to the role.
What Should You Include in a Cover Letter?
Your cover letter doesn’t need to include everything about you. Focus on the information that’s most relevant to the role.
Include:
- Your contact details: Include your name, phone number and any other relevant contact information.
- A personal greeting: Address the hiring manager by name if you know it. If you don’t, a simple “Dear Hiring Manager” works.
- An introduction: Explain which role you’re applying for and briefly introduce yourself.
- Relevant skills and experience: Highlight the skills, experience and transferable qualities that relate directly to the job.
- Why you’re interested: Explain what interests you about the role and company.
- What you can bring to the role: Connect your experience to what the employer is looking for. Think about the qualities that contribute to success as a sales professional and how you can demonstrate them through your own experience.
- A closing statement: Thank the reader for their time and provide a clear way for them to contact you.
Your cover letter and CV should work together. If you’re reviewing both before applying, our 7 Secrets to Your Resume Success guide has more advice on creating a CV that supports your job search.
How to Write a Good Cover Letter
Once you’ve decided what information to include, focus on making it easy for the recruiter or hiring manager to understand why you’re applying.
- Keep it clear and concise: Recruiters may be reviewing numerous applications, so make your most important information easy to find. Use short paragraphs, avoid unnecessary detail and keep each section focused.
- Tailor it to the job: Using a template as a starting point is fine, but avoid sending exactly the same cover letter with every application. Read the job description carefully and focus on the skills, experience and qualities the employer is looking for. Tailoring each application can work alongside other approaches, such as using LinkedIn to support your job search.
- Research the company: Look at its website, the job advert and other relevant information about the role. This can help you explain why the opportunity interests you rather than relying on generic statements. That research will also be useful if you progress to interview and need to prepare questions to ask at the end of an interview.
- Use examples where possible: Don’t just say you’re good at something. If you’ve exceeded a target, improved a process or achieved a measurable result, briefly explain it.
- Proofread before sending: Check your spelling and grammar, as well as the company name, role and hiring manager. This is particularly important if you’re adapting a previous cover letter.
How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?
A cover letter should usually be concise enough to fit comfortably on one page.
You don’t need to explain your entire employment history. Four short paragraphs can often be enough to introduce yourself, highlight your relevant experience, explain why you’re interested and close the letter.
The aim is to encourage the recruiter to continue reading your application, not tell them everything before you’ve reached the interview stage.
Do You Always Need a Cover Letter?
Not every employer requires a cover letter.
If an application specifically asks you not to provide one, follow those instructions. Where a cover letter is optional, however, it can give you another opportunity to provide context that isn’t immediately apparent from your CV.
At Citrus Connect Recruitment, a CV can tell us about someone’s previous experience, but it doesn’t necessarily tell us everything about their strengths, interests, goals and what they’re looking for next. These are things we learn more about when we speak with candidates.
A thoughtful cover letter can provide some of that context before the conversation begins
Make Your Cover Letter Work With Your CV
Your cover letter doesn’t need to secure the job by itself. Its job is to support your application and give the person reading it another reason to find out more about you.
Keep it relevant, tailor it to the opportunity and focus on the experience and qualities that matter for the role you’re applying for.
Ready to take the next step? Explore current sales jobs or register with Citrus Connect to be considered for opportunities that match your experience and ambitions.
