Blog-Post
There’s no arguing the fact that your cover letter plays an important role in a job interview. Along with the CV, a well-written cover letter can increase your chances of securing the job. While there are different ways to write a cover letter - and all of them work fine - penning down the perfect cover letter after a long career break is a bit daunting.
Not only do you have to explain what makes you perfect for the job, but it’s also crucial to back up your break from the professional career with a valid reason. Now, even though there are thousands of reasons why one might have undergone a career break, explaining it in a cover letter isn’t a cakewalk.
So, in this article, we have shared a few insights from industry experts to write the perfect cover letter that precisely highlights your career break and increases your odds of getting selected.
Start with Your Opening Statement
Whether you are writing a conventional cover letter or one to explain your career break, the opening statement needs to be subtle and direct. You don’t need to go into details. Instead, keep the opening paragraph brief and try to highlight the position you’re applying for.
In addition to this, you can further talk about the source from which you heard about the vacancy. For instance, if you found a job opportunity for management jobs in the UK on Vocation Wizard, you could conclude your opening statement by mentioning us as your source.
Keep in mind that the primary goal of writing an opening statement is to get a start and instantly move toward the next phase.
Start Explaining What Makes You Perfect for the Job
The general thumb rule says that you should never start talking about the career gap right away. The primary objective of a cover letter is to highlight what makes you suitable for the particular position.
So, once you have written the opening paragraph, start talking about the skills that make you the perfect candidate for the job. This is the paragraph where you need to go into detail and mention your academic as well as professional qualifications. Since you already have professional experience, you can also highlight professional achievements in a quantifiable way.
It’s worth mentioning that if you quantify your achievements, it’ll be easier to grab the employer’s attention and stand apart from the rest of the candidates.
It’s Time to Talk About the Career Gap
Now, in the third paragraph of your cover letter, you can finally write about your career gap. Again, it’s not necessary to go into details, but there aren’t any restrictions either.
Take your time to pen down the reason that forced you to take the career gap. Regardless of the reason, make sure to tell the truth otherwise you’ll end up leaving a bad impression on the recruiter. After you’ve explained the reason, also talk about how you’re ready to get back into your professional career.
Explain How You’ll Contribute to the Organization’s Growth
After explaining your career gap, the next paragraph is your opportunity to showcase how your skills will contribute to the company’s growth.
Here you can mention any courses you undertook during your career gap that might contribute to your job responsibilities. You can also talk about your knowledge base and how it’ll help you tackle the daily challenges of your job more effectively.
Conclusion
So, that’s how you can write the perfect cover letter after a career back. Career breaks are necessary and everyone has their reason for taking a break from the professional world. While getting back to the same routine may feel a bit daunting at first, you can easily build the same lifestyle without any hassle. Of course, to do this, you’ll first have to secure a decent job. The above-mentioned tactics will help you write the most effective cover letter to explain your career break.
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