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As a job seeker, there is a need to find other alternative ways to curate a great CV with a good cover letter that will catch the eye of your next employer. It is even more necessary to build a good knowledge of the company or the industry you are applying to, that should aid you to tailor your CV and cover letter to meet the required demands of the job.

CV and cover letters are not just a formality. A prospective employer will consider reading a cover letter of a job seeker to get an immediate overview of what the person possesses, before going through the CV. The cover letter gives a general idea of who or what the candidate is, the impression your document create can either make or deny you the chances of getting a job.

The excellent opportunity to sell yourself lies in your CV and cover letter, how are you willing to maximize this chance? Try to include the most relevant and standout facts about you that match the job advertised. 

Here Are Tips for Writing a Great CV 

1. Do Your Research

The first thing to do is, research the company you’re applying for before you begin to write the CV. Research the roles and responsibilities of the job. For a CV to be successful, it needs to contain the skills and experience, the employer is looking for. 

2. Add A Captivating Profile To Your CV

You should make an impact by selling yourself with an attractive CV profile. Try to keep it short and sharp to get the attention of the reader of your CV, summarize your valuable skills. 

3. Use A Professional Email Address

CV is a professional way of seeking a job so your email should be. Your email needs to reflect a sense of professionalism, let your email create a lasting impression about you. 

4. Give A Summary Of Your Role

Give a summary of your role, create a mental picture of the role you’re seeking for the employer to see you know what you’re applying for. Give a simple description context of your role and talk about how your role will benefit the employer or the organization. 

5. Avoid Generic Clichés

These are overused clichés of most job seekers, the phrase may appear impressive but it doesn’t tell the employer anything factual about you.  You need to demonstrate, you’re what you are by giving examples and show by results of those examples. What you’ve been able to achieve with your team.
 
6. Your CV Should Cover Two Pages Of A4 Paper

Well, this rule is not cast in stone but the recruiter doesn’t have all day to read a long written cv, keep it short, punchy and straight to the point by capturing all the relevant facts you need to present in a good CV. To get your CV read, just make it a two-page in length else if the recruiter begins to sense a long CV, they’ll probably put it away and concentrate on others. 

7. Keep It Current

You should constantly update your CV whenever something good happens in your career. Keeping it up-to-date is a way of staying relevant to the job market.  Record the date of the event. Use a different CV whenever you apply for a new job. You should know what the job entails and what the employer is looking for. 

Cover Letter

To give a better impression of yourself to the prospective employer, you have to indicate the special skills set that makes you suitable for the job. A cover letter is a summary of your CV, don’t write more than one page, the recruiting manager or the employer won’t have the time to read it. It’s attached as a complementary to the CV. Use a different cover letter for any job you apply for.

A cover letter is single page letter you include in your job application, most of the time the job advertisement doesn’t specify but it will be an advantage if you add it to your application; unless the job advertisement clearly says otherwise. 

Tips for Writing Cover Letter 

1. Find out who you’re addressing

When writing a cover letter, make sure you get the name of the person is been addressed to so you can avoid a case of “To whom it may concern” though, that phrase isn’t entirely wrong, for the avoidance of doubt, is better to fix a name of the receiver properly.  Addressing the person to read your application rightly is important, make that extra effort because it’s worth your time.

There is a way to find out the name of the receiver, if the job advertisement is online or in the newspapers - you can call the number given to find out who you should address the application to. 


2. Find out more about the job/role

Get a full scope of the job’s role and responsibilities you’re applying for, just the same way you called to find out who to address the application to. This can help you match your cover letter for the job. If the position is stated, research on it and be sure your skills and experience meet the job. 


3. Research on the company

This is an important part of a cover letter, most companies have an online presence so take the opportunity to research the company you’re planning to work for. This helps you tailor your cover letter for the job. 

4.Highlight your needed skills/ experience

In a job advertisement, the skills and experience needed for the job are stated. The important requirements for the position are mostly made clear in the job description section of the advertised job.  If you know you have the potential to do the job, describe how you can deliver on those priorities.  Though experience may not sell you much, focus your points on your skills instead.  


5. Include the following in your cover letter


A. Your name and contact details

Make sure to put a full name and contact details at the top right corner of your cover letter, include your email or postal address.  


 B. The person you’re writing to under your name and contact details 

 You need to address the receiver properly when writing your cover letter, include his/her name, position, and the name of the company or organization. 


C. The name of the job you’re applying for 

From the start of your cover letter, state the position you’re applying for. You can find a way to introduce it in the first paragraph of the letter or make it the heading of the letter.

D. Summarize why you should be considered for the job 

When you are done listing your skills and experience, try to explain why you’re the best fit for the position. You’re in a contest with others so you need to make a case for yourself why you stand out among the other applicants.

E. Use the industry language 

Use the industry language to communicate your point. It shows you know the industry or field that you seek to employ you.

F. Ask them to contact You

To conclude your cover letter, ask the employer to read your CV attached for more information about you. You should ask them to contact you for any question with regards to your CV and be readily available for an interview.

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