Blog on job market in Switzerland

The ABC's of a cover letter

Before writing your cover letter, be aware of the following rules:

If you are responding to an ad, write in the same language.
The cover letter should not exceed one page (4 paragraphs).
By way of a title, put the job title in the subject line.
Address your letter to the person whose name is mentioned in the ad. If you are making a spontaneous application, do some research to find the name of the manager of the department that interests you.
Show the recruiter your motivations for applying to this company.
Highlight your strengths.
Use positive vocabulary and active verbs (I did, made, carried out, accomplished, realized, sold, initiated, created, supervised, etc.).
Use the present tense or past perfect tense, particularly when you are listing your successes or describing your results.
The text must be clear, legible and coherent. Use short sentences and make your point. Avoid stock expressions that are overused.
Write a different letter for every position you are seeking. "Mass-produced" letters are easy to recognize.
Re-read or have someone else check over your letter to avoid any spelling and syntax errors.
The layout should be simple and airy (view the sample).
The cover letter should be typed unless the company requires a handwritten letter, in which case it will be stipulated in the ad.

A few basic rules will allow you to show your professionalism:

Pay attention to the layout (margins, balanced paragraphs).
Align your text to the left.
Choose a font such as "Arial" or "Verdana" and make sure the size is between 10 and 12 points.
Avoid fonts that are too fancy or hard to read.
Keep the paragraphs short.
Keep in mind that an airy text is a lot more pleasant to read.
If you are printing certain titles or passages in color, try to keep these as sober as possible and avoid multiple colors on the same page (maximum 2).
It is useless to underline a word or parts of sentences in your letter or to put them in bold. The reader is old enough to discern what is important or not.

Source: Manpower