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What to Include In a Cover Letter for a Senior Management Position

If you want the best chance at landing a senior management position and want to pave the way for negotiating the salary you want, your cover letter must contain certain elements.

Why Your Cover Letter is Important

When you submit a cover letter for a senior management position, you are essentially providing whoever will be reading it – usually the executive recruiter – with a reason to want to meet with you. That being said, your cover letter must stand out to them in some way. Below are some tips to ensure that your cover letter attracts the right kind of attention.

Speak in their Language

If you’ve researched the company to which you are applying or saw an advertisement for the position, you may be aware of some of the buzzwords they or their industry uses. Including these buzzwords in your cover letter will communicate that you understand the industry on a fundamental level. You may also wish to include a brief statement regarding any previous job experiences or even interests you have that uses those buzzwords.

Convince them at the Beginning

Your cover letter is only one page or less in length. Therefore, the earlier on in your letter that you can make a positive impression on the reader, the better. To do this, identify which position in your most recent employment history is most relevant to the job you are applying for now.

Another way to convince the reader that you are the right one for the job is to have a USP, or unique selling point. This should be defined well before you even begin to write your cover letter. Your USP will contain all of the information that a recruiter needs to understand what makes you different from every other candidate. This can include:

  • Any specific achievements you may have obtained in previous jobs or your current position;
  • One or more experiences which provided you with a multi-sided perspective on the role being applied for;
  • Commitment to the nature of the job and a passion for the work;
  • Long experience in the field, or a greater depth of experience than most.

Anything in your USP should be able to be quantified in your cover letter where ever possible. It’s also important to provide specific examples of your achievements.

Demonstrate your Research

Whilst you are telling the reader how motivated you are to work in the position you’re applying for, it’s always a good idea to demonstrate that you have researched the company as well as the role you are hoping to obtain. In being able to do this, you are telling the recruiter that you have much more than a passing interest in the position, which will cause them to sit up and take notice.

A Positive Conclusion

It’s also important to end your cover letter on a positive note. Be sure to keep your air of enthusiasm throughout, and ensure you also communicate anticipation about the possibility of meeting with the recruiter to discuss the position further.

When writing your cover letter, it’s best to be honest about the relevant experience and skills that you have and always give examples of same. You will also want to ensure that you send a different letter for every position you are applying for. And always remember when writing your cover letter that the reader wants to know what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.

Does your cover letter or CV need a boost? First Base has years of experience in preparing candidates for the positions they desire. We’d be delighted to take a look at your CV and talk about your career goals. Call us on 01453 755330 to book your informal interview.

Tricia Hay

Tricia Hay is Owner, Director of First Base Employment Limited

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