Sending Your CV via Email? This Is What You Should Write

If you are sending off your CV via email you need to include a cover letter. A cover letter is an email that provides a brief outline of who you are, which job you are applying for, and why you’re applying for it. It’s the first thing that an employer will see, and if it doesn’t quite hit right, your attached CV will never get opened.

The good news is, there are ways to write a cover letter that gets you noticed in all the right ways. You can ensure that the employer you are sending your CV to is interested in what you have to offer by following these cover letter tips:

Why are cover letters important?

Before we give you some fantastic tips on writing an excellent cover letter, it is important to understand why your cover letter matters. It is, at its heart, an email that introduces you, lets the company know you are applying for a job and that more information is attached. However, it is so much more than that.

Statistics tell us that 83% of employers think that cover letters play an important role in their hiring decisions. 83% also said that a fantastic cover letter could persuade them to offer the applicant an interview if the CV itself wasn’t enough alone. 72% of recruiters also said that even if a candidate was not asked to send a cover letter, they would be given preference if they sent one over somebody who did not.

So, before you skip the cover letter, take a moment and reconsider. This small element of your job application could be the difference between you getting the job or simply being bypassed for somebody else.

Tips for writing the perfect cover letter

Here are the best tips for writing a cover letter that lets the employer know you deserve an interview:

Keep it snappy

Cover letters should be easy to read and no longer than 500 words. In the same way a CV should only be two sides of an A4 piece of paper, a cover letter should not be more than one side of an A4 piece of paper. Ideally, it should not be more than three paragraphs or take longer than about a minute to read.

Tailor your applications

Every application that you send should be unique to the company you are applying to. Sure, you could put the same format in each one and change the company details, but that generic cover letter is a sign to the employer that you’re applying to every job going, which means you don’t really want the job at that place, you want a job at any place. You can use a rough template, but don’t copy and paste the same thing to each email. Use it as a rough guide only.

When you do have a template you like, try to pick out specific details about that company that you like. Maybe the job interests you because of the company itself, or you want to expand your skillset and you believe you can with that business. Be specific to that company and instantly impress your potential employer.

Don’t be casual

Try to avoid using words like ‘Hi’ or ‘Hey There’. These overfamiliar terms suggest you are unprofessional and aren’t taking your application seriously. Instead, treat your cover letter like a handshake and make a good impression. Be clear, concise, and appropriately friendly.

Make your first paragraph count

We, as humans, have an attention span of about 20 minutes for a task we are committed to before we get distracted. However, when it comes to a cover letter from a job applicant when there are hundreds of them, you probably only have a few seconds to grab the attention of the reader. This means the first part of your cover letter is the most important, so make sure that it represents you in the best possible way so that you get the rest of the email read and that all-important CV opened.

A step-by-step guide to writing the perfect cover letter

Here’s how to get that cover letter written step by step so that you can apply for every job via email effectively:

1. Use the hiring manager's name or the contact on the job listing. Avoid sir or madam and if you cannot find a name, use the job title of the person you are contacting.
   
   
2. Don’t introduce yourself with your name. Instead, start to write something like ‘I am excited to apply for the *** position with ***. You can elaborate more if it puts you in a good light, otherwise move on to the body of the cover letter.
   
   
3. Write something different from what is on your CV. Instead, write a paragraph that summarizes why your CV is worth reading. Write something like ‘As somebody with 10 years of experience in customer service, and a proven track record of transforming customer satisfaction, I know I can be an asset to your company. I am truly passionate about adding the human touch to client engagement, all whilst boosting efficiency using proven AI and automation techniques’. If you have any statistics or examples of this, you should throw them in here. IE ‘I boosted my current company's customer service satisfaction levels by 30% within three months working with them. You can then go on to say; I have many ideas that I think you’ll love to hear on boosting *company name* performance in this area. You may then want to add some bullet points about your experience and key skills.
   
   
4. You can progress to a fourth paragraph if you think that it is appropriate. This would be if you wrote about your skills and you want to elaborate on how you acquired them, or you want to add some more information about you as a person. This could be detailing how you are a team player, or how you believe your friendly nature and dedicated work ethic makes you the perfect candidate for a job at the company. You could add bullet points here about your personality type, your overall work ethic, and your performance as an employee.
   
   
5. You may then let the company know that you have attached a resume with all the relevant information. You could also be savvy and take advantage of the fact that 94% of marketers feel that videos have helped increase user understanding of their product. So, if you want your potential employer to get to know you better, why not create a quick video CV link to give them? If you’re not ready for that, include some testimonial quotes from previous employers at the bottom of the cover letter just to promote your skills more.

This basic list should give you a great insight as to how to write your cover letter well. You can find some great cover letter template tips here if you need to work from examples. Just remember to be creative, but professional. This is like your one-minute elevator pitch but in writing.

Follow all our tips above, use templates and sell yourself. The right cover letter could be all you need to land yourself an interview invitation, the next step towards a better job, and the next chapter in your career journey.