How To Write A Speculative Cover Letter

How To Write A Speculative Cover Letter When it comes to writing a speculative cover letter to a company youre really interested in working for, it can be hard to know exactly where to start. Why? Well, youre not applying for a specific role so you cant use the cover letter to bridge the gap between the  job description and your CV which means you basically have to pitch yourself in the dark. With that in mind; weve come up with some top tips to help you write an effective speculative cover letter which is sure to win the employer over and convince them to take a closer look at your CV. Show Off Your Knowledge The first thing you need to do is show your knowledge of the company off and explain exactly why you want to work there. Trust me an employer is much more likely to take a speculative application seriously if the candidate can demonstrate that theyve done their research and feels like they have a real connection with the company.  In this section, do a bit of research into the company to find out what makes them tick and what kind of achievements theyve had. Also take a look at their most recent press releases to see what the company has been up to and what their plans might be for the future. In addition to the content you include, another way to show off your knowledge is the way in which you write/format your cover letter. What do I mean? Well, if the company uses really relaxed, casual language in their messaging thats obviously part of their branding so if you send a cover letter in which is super-formal, it probably isnt going to hit the right chord. If you can replicate their tone in your cover letter, youre demonstrating that youre familiar with the company and that youre already able to write to their brand guidelines. Make Yourself Stand Out   Next, you really need to sell yourself and make yourself stand out from the crowd. If this company is really popular, they might get a decent number of speculative applications each week, so you really need to ensure you make a decent case as to why youre the best candidate for them. Do a bit of LinkedIn stalking to find out what type of people are currently working at that company and what they have in common and consider whether you also have these attributes. Also, think about what makes you different to the other candidates who might be making speculative applications and how the company would benefit if they took you on. Are you super-talented at analytics? Have a knack for PPC? A PHP pro? Thats great but you need to explain why and why this would be a positive thing for the company. Hint: saying you have a university degree isnt really enough to make you stand out anymore. Whatever you decide to include, dont forget to mention relevant examples which back up your claim. Make Yourself Relevant In addition to making yourself stand out, you also need to explain why youre a relevant candidate for the company. Worked with a host of high-profile retail clients before? If the client has a number of similar clients, its definitely worth mentioning. Had extensive experience in app development and know that the company wants to venture into this area in the future? Make sure you include it in your cover letter. Had hands-on experience with one of their current clients? Youd be a fool not to write about this fairly near the top of your cover letter. Remember, the more relevant you can make yourself as a candidate, the more likely you are to be taken seriously. Convey Your Passion The last thing you need to do is convey your passion for the industry that the company works in. Why? Because a lot of the time, employers look for candidates who are truly passionate about their sector and who really do enjoy working in the industry and who want to come into work everyday and this passion can sometimes be enough to make your application stand out from everyone elses.