9 Tips to get Your Cover Letter Noticed

You may be thinking that cover letters are a thing of the past and not used anymore but you couldn’t be more wrong.  A good cover letter will enhance and complement your CV or application form and is your chance to show the employer why you want to and should work for them. You’d be surprised how this can be the difference in standing out from the crowd and successfully landing you an interview. 

Here are 9 top tips to support you with your cover letter:

1) Start your cover letter with your purpose for writing and a brief introduction; you should also remember to include the name of the vacancy.

2) Mention what attracted you to the role and the school and what you can bring to the position. You should also highlight any particular attributes; qualifications or skills that you possess that would make you the ideal candidate for the vacancy. 

3) In your third or fourth paragraph you should reiterate your interest in the role and why the school should consider you. 

4) Ensure you end your letter thanking the school for their time and indicating you would like to meet them for an interview to discuss your expertise further. 

5) Address the letter to a named individual. By addressing the letter to a person rather than “To Whom This May Concern” you are immediately connecting with the reader and this shows that you have researched the role, giving a good first impression. Furthermore, there’s no excuse not to do this as all adverts on Kent-Teach have a recruitment contact listed!

6) Ensure each letter you write is tailored to each school. Make sure you don’t use the same letter for each vacancy you apply for. Your letter should always be amended for each vacancy and each school and show why your skills fit the job description/person specification. 

7) Research and flatter. Make sure you do your research about the school you are applying for and compliment any areas you are impressed with. For example, if a school has purchased new IT equipment you could use this opportunity to show your interest in technology and highlight your IT skills and qualifications you may have.

8) Keep it brief. Do not write more than 1 side of A4 paper. Imagine if you are the person responsible for shortlisting and have over 20 applications to read through; it may not be an easy read unless it is short and to the point.

9) Make sure your spelling and grammar is correct. This sounds simple but mistakes in your letter could weaken your application form considering you are likely applying to teach at the school. 

And there we have it, 9 ways to get your cover letter noticed! Did you know you can upload additional documents like a cover letter or a CV as part of your Kent-Teach application? Adding additional documents like a cover letter will help to convey even more information to a school and written well, will enhance your application. 

For further advice on applying for roles through Kent-Teach read “How to Ace Your Reason for Application”