Even though you should always tailor your cover letter to the specific job you are applying for, that doesn’t mean you need to start from scratch every single time. You can outline the basic structure in a generic cover letter that can work as a base to work from.
A generic cover letter is a placeholder using some general content that you can customize to suit a specific job. These general cover letters are beneficial for job seekers because they provide a functional, foundational document that only requires tweaks each time you apply for a new job, saving you time during your job search. There are plenty of cover letter examples online that can inspire or even work as a base for you to work from. Job seekers need all the help they can get in what can often be an overwhelming challenge, so it's great to get some help and advice to make the task easier.
While there are many benefits to crafting a cover letter that can be adapted for various job applications, it’s still important that your base cover letter doesn’t sound too generic and overused. It mustn’t be too dull for the hiring manager to read.
For an excellent cover letter template, keep these cover letter tips in mind:
1. Your key strengths
Naturally, each job description will steer you toward customizing your cover letter to satisfy what recruiters are looking for. Nevertheless, regardless of the job posting, you can emphasize some of your key strengths and skills. For example, soft skills like creative thinking, interpersonal skills, and communication skills are in-demand whatever the role or industry. If these are your strengths, make sure you feature these transferable key skills in your cover letter. Include them in the opening paragraph of your cover letter to hook the reader and frame you as a viable candidate.
2. When did you start your current job?
Your work experience section is one area of your general cover letter that you can put placeholders in – you can edit these later when you apply for a job. For instance, put the date you started your current role but leave a space to fill in later for your leaving date. You can also put down previous roles and then decide if you want to include these when applying for a specific job depending on whether they are relevant.
3. How you can benefit a new company
Again, while there is room for customization here, you can write a general cover letter with some points on how you can benefit a new company. Hiring managers love to see candidates that frame cover letters in this way, focusing on what they can bring to improve the team. This may be an exceptional skill set, ambition to grow with the company, or leadership qualities.
4. A call to action inviting a follow-up
You can very easily write various sign-offs for your cover letter that encourage the reader to take the next step. Writing a polite and professional sign-off in your closing paragraph is an excellent way of securing a job interview.
When writing your general cover letter, actioning these tips will help you create a good base to work from. At this stage, you should think about the look of your cover letter and question how you make it more pleasing to the eye with your cover letter format. Hopefully, this will make it easier when you are looking for a career change or just looking to impress a new potential employer with a customized cover letter.
The best cover letters are tailored to each individual job opening. Whether you’re an entry-level candidate or a seasoned career professional, a good cover letter is unique to each application. Here are some of the elements you should customize every time:
If you can, then address the hiring manager by name for each cover letter. This means avoiding general salutations like “to whom it may concern” or “Dear hiring manager”. If you know their name, then address them as “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith”. This starts off the letter on a personal footing and establishes a connection.
Make sure the date of your cover letter is correct. Nothing gives away a generic cover letter like an old date.
Perhaps an obvious one - make sure to reference the company you are applying to. Go beyond just naming them - do some research into their goals and objectives and comment on how your ambitions align with theirs.
When you tailor your cover letter, make sure you reference the specific job title outlined within the job description. Job titles are often used interchangeably within many fields - make sure you use the correct terminology within your cover letter to show you have read the job description.
While it’s helpful to include transferable skills for any cover letter, many jobs require specific prerequisite skills to perform the role’s responsibilities. If this is the case, you must indicate to the hiring manager that you have them. Check the job description for clues and keywords, and make sure you mention any required skills. You can list these as bullet points to keep them concise if necessary.
Once again, focus on your specific certifications, achievements, and qualifications that address the needs of the potential job, rather than on less relevant ones.
Finally, make sure your phone number and contact information are up to date, including links to our social media and LinkedIn profile.
Landing that new job is always challenging. To get to a job interview after you have done your job search, you must invest your time in using our resume builder and resume templates to create the perfect resume. Then, you should use our cover letter builder to finish off your job application. With all these steps, it's worthwhile to create a fantastic general cover letter to adapt as needed.
Your general cover letter should be a working document that you can edit whenever you got though a career change - make this part of your routine if ever you switch jobs. Also, if you are given a prestigious award, then you should change your cover letter to highlight this new achievement. Taking these steps will make it easy to personalize quickly when you apply for a new job later.
You can use a generic cover letter, but only as a base to work from and adapt as necessary for the specific job. You should never simply send your generic cover letter to the hiring manager. Instead, make sure you personalize your skills, experience, and references to the company to give the best shot of landing the role.
A generic cover letter looks much the same as your final cover letter. In fact, you should take the time to format your generic cover letter so that the sections are laid out exactly as they would be in your customized letter. This provides ready-made placeholders for you to insert new, customized text into.
