Just last week, Google received a whopping 75,000 applications in response to about 6000

new vacancies, in what is being touted as the ‘biggest hiring year’ in Google’s history so far.
As you can imagine, competition for new jobs is humongous.
And matters don’t seem to be limited to highly-attractive employers like Google. The ease of
applying online combined with the dearth of vacancies is making jobseekers blast their CVs
out to vaguely matched jobs or even jobs that they don’t have experience for. Consequently,
jobseekers will now need to be increasingly selective about which jobs they apply for, and
then give that application their best shot. The only hope they have of
standing out amongst the crowd (imagine your CV being one amongst thousands) is to make
sure that each application is perfect in every aspect and tailored to the specific vacancy and
specific organisation being applied for.
With recruiters and hiring managers receiving truckloads of applications it is vital for
jobseekers to make that lasting impression at the ‘screening-out’ stage itself. What we’re
talking about is the cover letter. Many candidates are not even aware of its importance in the
screening-out process. It’s what often creates the first and lasting impression about a
candidate in the mind of the employer or recruiter. Any faux pas in the cover letter and your
application may be doomed at the very first step.
For international jobseekers, the issue of how to write cover letters is far more complex. On
one hand, because the initial phases of international recruitment are usually handled
remotely, there is a need for the cover letter to be as specific as possible. On the other hand,
you need to take extra care of keeping in mind subtle differences in language, social
conventions, corporate rules and other cultural sensitivities that may come into play when
recruiters and candidates come from vastly different cultural and social backgrounds.

Cultural sensitivities

In terms of content, the basic difference to note in an international cover letter is that different countries have
different regulations about what kind of personal information can be expected from potential candidates. For
example, in the US and Canada, recruiters cannot ask for date of birth or gender as these may lead to
discrimination. For the same reason, asking for nationality or a photograph are not considered ethical in
some Western countries. So such information is not expected in your cover letter. In Asian countries
however, it is customary to reveal personal details such as marital status, nationality and even a photograph.
In fact, in the UAE, many times, when you apply online, the application
is not considered complete unless you have attached a scanned photograph! The bottomline is, approach
the cover letter with these cultural sensitivities in mind to ensure that you get shortlisted for an interview.

The language connection

In the international jobs situation, always try to demonstrate that you understand the ethos of the region to
which you are applying and the willingness to follow the conventions of that region even if they differ
drastically from those in your country of origin. Make sure therefore, to research the conventions in that
region before you decide what to write and how to write it in the cover letter. You may need to decide
 whether to write in English or in the official language of the country you hope to work in. For example, when
applying to the UAE, you may wish to decide whether to have your cover letter translated into Arabic. Or
maybe you may want to make your name
and contact details at the minimum, available in both Arabic as well as English? Even if your recruiter knows
English, you may still score a point by connecting to the local people by showing an acceptance of their
native language.

Avoiding faux-pas
When dealing with overseas jobs, keep certain ground rules in mind when drafting your cover letter:
 Be aware of subtle difference in spellings – even when the language is the same – For
example, spellings for several words are different in the US and UK. Use the spelling that is followed
by the country to which you are applying

 Stick to standard English terms and avoid terms that may be culturally loaded or have
negative connotations in some cultures. Ask a friend who knows the region or do some internet
research to check this out.

 Use only formal language as informal terms may be looked down upon in several countries –
it can never hurt to be polite.

What to highlight in international cover letters

 Highlight any global experience you may have or demonstrate the ability to work in cross-
cultural situations.

 Mention any foreign languages you may know and the extent of your fluency, especially if the
official language of that country is not English and if you happen to know that language.

 When quoting your contact details, make sure to use all possible forms of contact including
complete address, PO box if any, email, mobile phone, landline, instant messaging id, any social
media handles if you regularly connect via networking sites, etc. Include the country code in your
phone number appropriately so that the employer can call you easily if required.

Setting the tone

Did you know that your cover letter does the job of prepping the prospective employer for your CV? That’s
why it has to be strong enough to hit harder than your CV. Remember, this letter points out what is important
in the background of your CV and sets the tone for the CV. So, first of all, please do ensure that it is error
free, without any typos or grammatical mistakes.
Also, remember to keep it appropriate to the position and the industry you are applying for. If it’s a
management position in the corporate world, your tone has to be business like; but, if you are applying as an
‘Art Director’ in an advertising firm, you can be a little more creative.

Pick me up
Remember, if you go for one of the generic cover letters that are floating on the internet, you might as well
forget about any response from the other end. Instead, focus your time and energy on researching the
company you are applying to and connecting your experience for the position advertised. Mention this in a
summary in a brief but well-crafted, honest cover letter. Employ the marketing principle of AIDA (Attention,
 Interest, Desire, Action) to meet your goal… drawing your prospective employer’s attention by pointing out
why you’re well-suited for the job, getting them interested in moving on to read your CV and finally giving the
employer a ‘Cause’ to call you for the elusive interview. Remember, your cover letter is your sales pitch.
Different strokes for different folks
When you are applying to various companies for similar designations, each company maybe looking for
slightly different skill sets. Look out for what the company demands and highlight those specific skills and
experience in your cover letter. For instance, if you are applying for the position of a ‘Communications
Specialist’ in two different companies and find that one company also wants the individual to handle
marketing and advertising campaigns along with maintaining public relations, then highlight your experience
in marketing and PR in your cover letter itself – thus drawing the attention of the recruiters to the specific
skills they are looking for.

Back to Basics - Some Do's and Don'ts

 Do personalise your letter; ‘Ma’am, ‘Sir’ or ‘To whomsoever it may concern’ is passé. Address
it to the person concerned. If the person’s name isn’t mentioned, make a call to the company you are
applying to and ask the receptionist or the HR department for the name of the concerned person.
Remember, a personalised cover letter makes an immediate connect with the individual, whereas a
‘To Whomesoever It may Concern’ is a put-off for the recruiter.

 Do not repeat what’s in your resume in your letter. It is a waste of the recruiter’s time as well
as your effort. The recruiter will concur that you have nothing special to say about why you should be
considered for the position and may even just ignore your CV and move on to the next application.

 Do not forget to mention the job title you are applying to and the reference number (if there is
any) in your letter. Also, mention how you heard about the vacancy and if you know anybody working
in the company be sure to mention it too.

 Do stay strictly away from including any personal information about yourself or your opinions
on religion, politics or any such topics in your letter.

 Do keep it simple and professional… let your creative streak remain in the background and
do not use any fancy fonts or coloured paper or any such stuff.

 Do not ramble on. Remember, it’s a cover letter, not a personal one to a dear friend. So, stick
to one or at the most two short paragraphs about yourself, your interests, the position you have applied
to and how you fit in.

 Do request an interview at the end of the letter and let the recruiter know that you would like
to be informed on the status of your application.

 Do write a synopsis of your cover letter in the body of the mail and attach the letter
separately. This will complete the professional touch.

Inhouse Survey Results

We regularly survey jobseekers on our website to learn more about their job search habits and their search
effectiveness. In one such inhouse survey we learnt that, of those who received the highest number of
interview calls in a year (above 15 calls a year), 50% said they always customized their cover letters.
In the group that received a moderate number of calls (11-15 calls a year), a whopping 66% said they
always used custom cover letters. In the group that received 6-10 calls, 61% always used customized cover
letters. In the lower range of 1-5 calls, 33% always customised their cover letters.
In contrast, in the group that received no interview calls, only 15% said they always used custom cover
letters. Moral of the story? Always use customised cover letters!

Remember, your cover letter is the first point of contact between you and the recruiter. So, bring out your
strengths, experiences and achievements and customise differently for each application you make to catch
their eyeballs. If you think you need some help tailoring your job applications and cover letters, you can get
in touch with our Personal Job Hunt Managers who are specialists in helping you get your application out
perfectly every time.