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Cover Letter for your Application

Definition, Explanation

When you apply for a job, the cover letter is a main component of the application letter, amongst the curriculum vitae, a photo of the applicant and divers certificates and performance records. Both in a traditional paper-written application sent by post and in a modern email application, the main text is the very part of the application that is first sighted by the receiver and thus creates the first impression they get of the applicant.

Even though many people and also some personnel managers regard the cover letter unimportant, there are on the other hand many companies who consider the cover letter the first working test of the potential employee examine it rather analytically than superficially. So your making of it should be a thorough and original one.

A common fault in applications that is found by companies who receive many of them is the widespread standardization of the wording of the letters. Applicants might underestimate the importance of the letter and send the same with equal words to different companies: Quite unadvisable to do - because what is not taken then is the chance to stand out from the crowd of applicants in a positive way. Both layout and structuring of contents of a cover letter (best one single page) are subject to regulations by DIN 5008 and DIN 676 which should be respected. Obligatory are:

• your own, sender's adress
• the receiver's adress
• the date
• a subject line
• salutation
• main text of the application
• original signature
• attachment declaration

The structuring of the main text of the application:

• An introduction of one or two sentences containing some hint about where and how you noticed the job offer
• A main part. Here, you should briefly tell your current state of affairs, your motivation to apply; possibly in relation to the company, and your professional knowledge and abilities
• A closing phrase. Here, again, sufficient are one or two sentences in which you ask the company for making contact, resp. offer such yourself

Tips, Checklist

• Follow the latest regulations DIN 5008 of content structuring and DIN 676 of layout (e.g. position and size of the receiver's adress area). Attention: these regulations are changed frequently
• Make the layout simple professional: no graphics, little images, coloured text or the like
• Use the same font for the cover letter as you use for the CV
• Do not print on cheap photocopying paper. Instead, use first-class paper which may even be preciously watemarked. A paper weight of 100-120g/sqm are ok. Not more, though, it should not be too stiff, board-like
• Do not or rarely use subjunctive form. That is, instead of „Ich würde mich Ihnen gerne vorstellen“ better write „Gerne stelle ich mich Ihnen vor.“ This seems a more decisive and serious approach by the applicant
• Write short and legible sentences. Do not use foreign words whose meanings you do not completely comprehend
• Take your time for elaborating it. Like with many things, also application letters are well worth sleeping on for a night. Does it sound as good, on the next day, as it did before? Have it read to other people, too
• Possibly keep it all as short as one single page
• Avoid mistakes in the adress of the company or the in name of the receiving person. For if any such occurs, then the rest of the text has been written in vain and will not be read. Attention! This is a hard knock-out criterion!
• As possible, avoid the general salutation of „Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren“. Instead, use the name of the responsible personnel manager. Mostly this is specified in the job ad. If not, do call them and ask
• Have some guidebooks advise you regarding formulation, samples and examples for all different positions and situations. Do not copy one to one, though. The reader might know the guidebook, too!
• If you are unemployed, ask your job-center case-manager for advice with your application letter. He can help you e.g. with financing of lessons in which you get the know-how. Also, you can apply for absorption of costs for applications. You get 5 Euros for each application

Articles

• 11 Common Cover Letter Mistakes; EmploymentDigest.net, September 3, 2009
• 500 Positive Resume Action Verbs That Get Job Interviews; JobMob, July 09, 2009

Last update: 06/04/2010