Write a great cover letter

Oh, how I love a cover letter and yet so few candidates in the UK take the time to write one when applying for a travel industry job. So, why should you bother to write a cover letter?

A cover letter gives you the opportunity to add personality to your CV. If you write a cover letter that’s unique to the application and travel role, it shows commitment and genuine interest. Ultimately, it will help your application stand out and could be the key decider between you and another candidate when decisions are made.

Here at Ambitions Travel Recruitment, we think your cover letter shouldn’t be pages long. In fact, it’s a bit of a turn off to the recruiter when it is. We’d encourage you to use the elevator pitch approach to write your cover letter.

The elevator pitch has been around for quite some time and is often used in job applications or sales. Imagine that you’ve always wanted to work for Richard Branson and you get into a lift beside him. You’ve got a 30 second elevator ride to pitch to him what is unique about you and why he should hire you. What would you say in that short time? These are the things that should go in your cover letter

Three elements to include in your elevator pitch - or your cover letter:

Start with a very brief introduction to your professional persona, by answering these questions:
Who are you?
What do you do?
Keep it brief.

Move quickly into what you’ve achieved and what value you can bring to the business. This is where the majority of your 30 seconds should be spent. Write as if you’re talking to someone important. It should be fairly conversational but not as informal as if you were chatting to friends.

This main body of the pitch – or cover letter – should sum up exactly why you’re perfect for this job. If the skills are slightly different from those you’re using in your current role, briefly say why they’re transferable to this job.

Sign off your cover letter with a call to action. This could be something like: I’d love to discuss my experience with you in more detail and show you the skills and knowledge that I can bring to your business.

Make your cover letter count. Once you’ve written one, keep it as a template for any other job applications, and keep it up to date. But always tailor it to the company you’re applying to. Double check that you have spelled everything correctly and used the right company name!

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