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Write a Convincing Cover Letter to Strengthen Your Job Application

Posted by Tim VanHulle

A motivation letter is often an indispensable part of an application process, but a cover letter is less and less often sent along with applications. This could be for a number of reasons, such as the convenience of "one-click-apply" on platforms like LinkedIn, the growing war for talent where candidates are scarce, or the pressure to send applications quickly to stay ahead of the competition.

Despite this, a cover letter remains a powerful tool for presenting yourself to an employer and showing why you are the best candidate for the position. In this blog post, we'll give you five tips to prepare a cover letter as well as possible.

Write a Convincing Cover Letter to Strengthen Your Job Application

A motivation letter is an important part of your application process. It is a great opportunity to present yourself to an employer and show why you are the perfect candidate for the position.

Explain why you want to work for the company

As an employer, people want to know why you want to work for them. They ask themselves: “Where are your interests in our company and what aspects of the position appeal to you?”

Obviously, it's not easy to get this information without being in a job interview first. However, try to figure out what really motivates you to work for them. A few ways of figuring out what the company is about is by either doing desk research (Googling the company, LinkedIn searches ...) or by reaching out to an employee of the company to ask them what they like so much about the employer.

By making this clear in your motivation letter, you show that you are motivated and that you have thoroughly studied the company.

Say why you want to take your career in a different direction

Maybe you want a new challenge or you are looking for a certain working environment. By stating this in your motivation letter, you indicate what you are looking for in your work and how the position for which you are applying fits in with this.

Show more of your personality and how it fits into the company's culture

A motivation letter is also an opportunity to show your personality. Most companies will write keywords in their job ads, which will help you to find out more about their company culture. Describe your qualities and how they fit into the company. Indicate how you can use your unique skills and experiences for the company.

Feel free to name-drop

If you know people who work for the employer or their company partners, it's smart to mention this in your cover letter. This can give the employer a better understanding of how you are connected to the company and how you can contribute to their network.

A word of caution: be sure not to lie about knowing someone. If the employer asks you about it during the interview, you may find yourself in a pickle.

Prioritize the skills that you find relevant to the vacancy

Finally, it is important to show what your skills and experiences are that are relevant to the position. You have gained a lot of experience over the years, but you don't have to put in your entire course. Show what you have to offer and why you are the best candidate for the position.

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