How To Customise Your Cover Letter (with 3 Examples!)

January 19, 2022

Screenshot 2022 01 18 At 10.05.21 PM

You probably already know how to write a cover letter. Then again, so do many other job seekers out there.

So how do you stand out from the other applicants? By creating a customised cover letter for each job application. 

Why?

With a customised cover letter, you can be specific and show how you can address a company’s needs. 

This persuades recruiters of your fit with the company, which is what they REALLY care about.

In this guide, we will show you how to customise your cover letter to showcase your unique competitive advantages

Table of Contents

  • What is a Cover Letter?
  • Why customise a Cover Letter?
  • How to customise a Cover Letter 
    • Address the Hiring Manager by Name
    • Do your research
    • Understand your job scope
    • Express Your Desire to Follow Up
  • Customised Cover Letter Examples and Samples

What is a Cover Letter?

It’s a one-page document you send with your CV in your job application. 

But don’t let it be just that!

A cover letter is your chance to sell yourself to recruiters.

Think of it as your elevator pitch, a chance to highlight yourself as a person, emphasise your competitive advantage, and share why you’ll be the perfect hire. 

To showcase your skills and experience, consider splitting your Cover Letter into these 3 sections: 

  • Paragraph 1: Your career narrative and relevant experience for the job
  • Paragraph 2: A brief write-up about your current/most recent role, and your greatest achievements in this role. 
  • Paragraph 3: Convince the recruiters that you’re the right fit.

ResumeWriter Tip: Want a more in-depth breakdown of how to craft a great cover letter? Check out our Ultimate Cover Letter Guide and download our Cover Letter Samples!

Now that you know how to structure a cover letter, the next step is to tailor it to the company and job that you’re applying for. 

Why Customise a Cover Letter

“Why bother crafting a unique cover letter? Can’t I send a generic one?”

That’s a valid concern. You’ll probably be applying to multiple companies, so it’ll take a lot of time to tailor your cover letter to each one.

But we absolutely recommend that you take the time to customise your cover letter. 

Why? 

Remember how your Cover Letter convinces recruiters that you’re a good fit?

What better way to stand out than to show that you specifically want to work in this company?

This way, recruiters can see at a glance how you plan to contribute. When you show how your experience addresses their hiring needs, they’ll be more willing to hire YOU over other applicants. 

In other words, a customised cover letter is a great way to differentiate yourself

ResumeWriter Tip: A tailored cover letter is useless if recruiters don’t read your application. Learn how to create a knockout first impression with our Outstanding Job Application Email guide today!

How to Customise Your Cover Letter

Remember, you want to show how you can contribute to a particular company. 

How could you do this? 

By following these 4 simple tips:

  1. Address the Hiring Manager by Name
  2. Do Your Research
  3. Understand Your Job Scope
  4. Express Your Desire to Follow Up

1. Address the Hiring Manager by Name

First, find out who will be reading your Cover Letter. They’ll be the ones deciding if you’ll be getting an interview. 

Imagine you’re a Hiring Manager and you’re addressed like this:

Compare this to:

Which one sounds more personable? 

Definitely the latter! 

Take the effort to do a quick LinkedIn search for the company’s hiring manager. A name goes a long way to building rapport.

But what if you can’t find a name? Try tailoring your greeting to the job like so:

Doesn’t this sound more friendly and targeted than ‘To Whom It May Concern’?

2. Do Your Research

Next, do your research about the role and company. 

Why are you applying for this job? How does the company align with your values and/or help you achieve your career goals? 

Figuring out these questions will help you understand your own fit with the position that you’re applying for. 

Do your research on the company to find out what attracts you to them. This is a crucial step as you can reflect these motivations in your Cover Letter. 

Remember, your Cover Letter is your chance to let your personal voice shine! Be authentic as it will help recruiters better envision your fit with the company.

ResumeWriter Tip: Mention a recent company development or mission statement that inspired you to join the company. This shows that you’ve done your homework and demonstrates your enthusiasm to work for the company.

Here’s a brief example:

By linking his values to HP’s mission, the candidate shows how he aligns with HP’s company ethos. This goes a long way to show the fit with the company!

3. Understand Your Job Scope

When you apply for a job, it’s for a particular role. 

Recruiters often ask for certain competencies in their job description. Make sure you address these points in your cover letter with targeted keywords.

Why? 

You want to show that your experience is relevant to the job. In other words, that’s your competitive advantage! 

When you address how your skills will be an asset for your new company moving forward, you are demonstrating your fit to the Hiring Manager.
Alternatively, if the company uses an ATS scanner, injecting these keywords will significantly increase the ATS score and ensure it passes through the application process.

ResumeWriter Tip: Afraid that your CV can’t pass the ATS scanner? Send it in for a Complimentary CV Analysis today!

Take this sample job description for a Systems Engineer job:

– Design and implement hybrid cloud platforms in accordance with corporate security guidelines.
– Lead internal IT teams to transition to adopt DevOps, automation, and data analytics.
– Manage and support the delivery of in-house and outsourced IT projects and services.

You could tailor your Cover letter like this:

WOW! 

This sample Cover Letter directly addresses the candidate’s area of expertise which is highly relevant to HP Malaysia’s business. It’s also backed up by metrics to add a sense of scale to his achievements.

With such a targeted piece, Hiring Managers can clearly see how this candidate adds value to the company.

Express Your Desire to Follow Up

In your conclusion, you want to signal to recruiters that you’re enthusiastic about working for their company:

What a fantastic show of interest!

Note how the candidate not only demonstrates that he’s done background research on the company but also provides a call-to-action for the recruiter to follow up. 

How would this customised Cover Letter look as a whole? 

Putting these tips together give you a Cover Letter, like one we have written for a Systems Engineer.

Customised Cover Letter Example

Customised CL 1 Systems Engineer 1 791x1024

Still need more inspiration?

Below are two customised cover letter examples written for jobseekers across different industries.

Cover Letter Example 1: Customised Brand Strategist Cover Letter (Fresh Graduate)

Done any work attachments or internship stints? Highlight them! Recruiters love it when you’ve had previous industry experience.

You can also highlight co-curricular or school activities if it matches the job description. 

Remember, the key is to make your skills relevant for your new company.

Customised CL 3 Fresh Graduate 1 791x1024

Cover Letter Example 2: Customised Admin Assistant Cover Letter

Had a long and successful career and are looking for fresher pastures? 

Highlight your extensive experience and greatest achievements to hook recruiters in!

Customised CL 2 Admin Assistant 1 725x1024

Conclusion

Customising a Cover Letter is key to impressing recruiters. 

It demonstrates your interest in the company and for the role, helping recruiters better envision your fit.

 Our 4-step guide provides an easy way for you to customise your cover letter:

  1. Address the Hiring Manager by Name
  2. Do your research
  3. Understand your job scope
  4. Express Your Desire to Follow Up

With these pointers, you’re on your way to drafting great Cover Letters that’ll land you the interviews you deserve.

ResumeWriter Tip: The best Cover Letter wouldn’t land you an interview if your CV is weak! Make sure your resume sells your skills and value effectively before applying for the role. Unsure if your resume is holding you back from opportunities? Send it in for a Complimentary CV Analysis today!

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