cover letter eu

Want to make your cover letter stand out? Here’s how

The era of digital recruitment is here, and employers are receiving more responses to their job postings than ever before. What can you do to help boost your application to the top of the selection list? The answer may lie in the cover letter.

Connecting employers with jobseekers is now easier than ever. In a matter of minutes, you can scope out the positions that interest you online and submit your resume with the click of a button. In this almost automated process, applicants rarely give thought to the ‘old-fashioned’ cover letter, once a standard addition to a CV. However, if you want to improve your chances with a potential employer, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of a well-crafted cover letter to make you stand out from the crowd.

Here are some tips on how to create a cover letter that will get you noticed:

Do your research

Employers want to see that you are a good fit, not only for the job, but for their company as well. Before you apply, familiarise yourself with the skills they are looking for, but also with the company's philosophy and values. Make sure this is reflected in your cover letter by showing how your particular assets and personality align with the company’s ethos.

Know your ‘why’ and convey it clearly

Of course, you want the job for many reasons, which may seem self-evident to you. But a potential employer wants to know why you want the specific job within the specific organisation. Be clear about what draws you to that particular company and how your unique skillset will contribute to its success.

Don’t rehash your CV

Your cover letter is where you express your enthusiasm about the role you are applying for and show your suitability for it. This is not the same as your resume; rather it goes one layer deeper, showing exactly how your profile relates to the job description and requested qualifications.

Showcase your achievements

This is your opportunity to promote your accomplishments, so don’t shy away from a little bit of ‘good bragging’. Quantify your achievements, where possible, and bring up specific examples of how your skills contributed to previous employers’ success.

One size doesn’t fit all

Nobody likes to feel they are on the receiving end of a ‘canned’ piece of writing, and this is especially true for recruiters/employers. When applying for a job, you need to tailor your content to the specific position you are targeting. In the same vein, avoid addressing your letter ‘to whom it may concern’; find out who the hiring manager is and address them personally.

Use your own voice

You want to adopt a formal tone when drafting your cover letter; after all, it is a document that has a professional purpose. But you also still want to let your personality shine through and grab your reader’s attention. Consider an unconventional introduction, perhaps by including a personal anecdote or an engaging question that will pique your reader’s interest and make them keen to find out more about you.

Less is more

Three paragraphs is a good length for your cover letter, and enough to get your points across. A clear and concise format is key. Consider structuring your paragraphs as follows:

• Express your enthusiasm for the position and interest in the company.
• Showcase your top skills/accomplishments and state how they relate to the job.
• Mention how your contribution will bring value to the company and encourage a next step from the recipient’s end.

You are now ready to submit your resume along with your cover letter. Make sure you proofread it before sending or have someone else go over it; they might catch a mistake you have overlooked. Good luck!

Want to find out more about how you can improve your employability? Check out our tips on how to make yourself more hireable for employers .

Related links:

How to write an achievements-focused CV

5 tips for streamlining your CV

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Europass cover letter

The Europass cover letter is the most popular CV template in Western Europe, as it was designed by the European Union in order to promote accessibility and transparency across member nations. If you intend to apply for jobs in an EU nation, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the Europass cover letter. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Europass cover letter?

The Europass cover letter template is a standardized CV and cover letter format. It helps you present your qualifications and skills in an easy-to-digest format. For employers, the Europass cover letter offers standardization, which promotes faster application processing and hiring. You can access the customizable document on the European Union’s official website ( 1).  

While a CV is technically the equivalent of a resume , the EU template lets you create a matching CV and cover letter , hence the term “Europass cover letter.” 

The document is best known for its timeline-style format, where your most recent work experience is listed at the top of the document, followed by your subsequent role, and so on, until you cover all relevant positions and education. The EU template has a line along the left border of the document, with bullet points marking the start of each job or educational experience. 

Overall, the Europass cover letter represents an excellent tool for making applying for jobs in the EU easier and more efficient. However, the layout of the template can lead to lengthy or bloated CVs and cover letters. Fortunately, you can use other resume templates to streamline your application.

Other products for jobseekers by Europass

The European Union has built on the success of the Europass cover letter and CV template by creating several other products for job seekers. Like the original resource, these tools are free to use and are designed to promote a more open and accessible hiring process across member nations. These products include: 

Europass profile

Before you can create a Europass cover letter, you’ll need to make an account on the platform first. Fortunately, this is quite easy — and free. When setting up your profile, make sure to include all relevant work, training, and educational experiences. Also, list any volunteer work, language proficiency, and digital skills.

You can always go back and edit this information later or add new work experience. Additionally, you can pull information from your profile to create cover letters and other Europass documents. 

“The Europass cover letter template is a standardized CV and cover letter format. It helps you present your qualifications and skills in an easy-to-digest format.”

Europass Mobility

Europass Mobility is a supporting document that provides more detail about your educational experiences. As with all Europass tools, this feature is totally free. 

If you have acquired a diverse education from multiple nations across Europe, this tool can be a great addition to your job application. Just make sure to avoid making your cover letter too long or bloated, as doing so can make reviewing your documents cumbersome for hiring teams. 

Europass Language Passport 

The Language Passport allows you to showcase your linguistic talents. If you are proficient in two or more languages, you can create this document and use it to bolster your application. 

This is especially important when applying for jobs where the native language is different from your own. After all, employers want to know that you can effectively communicate with team members if you earn the job. 

Europass Certificate Supplement

The Europass Certificate Supplement provides employers with insights about your certifications or specialty qualifications. This document is especially popular among tech professionals due to the wide range of add-on certifications available in the field. However, you can use it anytime you need to outline non-traditional educational experiences. 

Europass Diploma Supplement

The Europass Diploma Supplement provides a deep dive into your higher education. If you attended a prestigious university and were highly involved in extracurricular activities like clubs or sports teams, use the Europass Diploma Supplement. 

Should I use the Europass cover letter?

Overall, the Europass cover letter template can be a great tool when applying for jobs abroad. The various add-on tools provide even more value to your job-hunting process. However, the template itself can be a bit dated and rigid. While you can customize it with your personal experiences, many of the formatting aspects cannot be changed. 

If you aren’t sure if the Europass cover letter is a good fit for you, consider exploring other cover letter examples and resume articles from Jobseeker. Our growing library of resources can help you compare different options and decide the best way to showcase your skills and talents to European businesses.

Expert Tip:

Keep in mind that almost everyone applying for jobs in the EU uses the Europass cover letter template, which makes it difficult to stand out in competitive hiring processes. Using a more dynamic template can differentiate you from other job seekers and increase your odds of landing an interview.

The pros of a Europass cover letter

There are some undeniable benefits associated with using the Europass cover letter, including:

You enjoy access to complementary tools

If you use the EU’s free platform, you’ll have access to a range of complimentary tools, including Mobility, Language Passport, and Certificate Supplement. These add-ons allow you to go into greater detail about your abilities, work history, educational experience, and background. 

Conversely, generic CV templates can be a bit limiting. That’s where the Europass template shines. 

You benefit from standardization

If you have never applied for a job in Europe, using the Europass platform can make the entire process much easier. The standardized format takes the guesswork out of creating your cover letter and CV, as you can simply fill in the blanks. 

Standardization also makes life simpler for hiring teams, as they know what order your information will be presented and where to find key details. 

You have the opportunity to share a lot of information

If you have an extensive educational or professional background, the Europass cover letter can be expanded to suit your needs. You can add supplementary documents via the EU’s free tools and tell employers everything they need to know about who you are as a candidate. 

The cons of a Europass cover letter

Before you create a Europass profile and get to work on your standardized cover letter, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks of these templates. Here are three of the biggest shortcomings: 

The U.K. doesn’t use the Europass

The United Kingdom doesn’t use the Europass cover letter. After Brexit, the U.K. made a concerted effort to differentiate itself from EU member nations. 

The transition away from Europass cover letters was a relatively small change compared to some other post-Brexit changes. But if you are seeking a job in the U.K., it’s important to know that employers don’t expect a Europass CV.

The good news is that you can still nail your U.K. job application with a little help from Jobseeker. Our resume examples and cover letter articles offer real-world insights into what your U.K. documents should look like and how to make them stand out. 

The template is restrictive

Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the Europass cover letter is that it can be restrictive and rigid. You don’t have much freedom to change the overall layout of the document, only the information it contains. This can lead to your application blending in when it should be standing out. 

Your CV may be too long

Another downside to the Europass template is that it can yield a long, multi-page document that obscures important information. 

If you have a dynamic professional history and extensive educational background, you justifiably want to showcase it. But if you rely on Europass tools, your CV and cover letter could have a combined length of four pages or more. 

You need a concise and engaging way of putting your skills on display. That’s where Jobseeker can help! Our matching CV and cover letter templates offer conciseness and standardization while also making applications stand out. 

Stand out with Jobseeker 

When it comes to writing a great cover letter, Europass alternatives like Jobseeker’s resume and cover letter templates represent a better option. Check out our Europass CV , a modern and highly customizable alternative designed to help you stand out and land your dream job. 

Ready to get started? Connect with Jobseeker for personalized support.  

References: 

(1) Europass Cover Letter Editor: https://europa.eu/europass/eportfolio/screen/cover-letter-editor  

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Cover Letter

What is the Europass cover letter?   With the various templates of the Europass cover letter editor, you can draft a structured, attractive and professional cover letter. As with the Europass CV Editor, you can create the application letter online in 30 languages. It is very easy to structure the letter, as the most important elements are already predefined in the editor. There are no mandatory elements. You can adapt the letter to your own style and preferences.

Kreirajte propratno pismo

Europass vam pomaže da razvijete strukturisano, dosljedno i profesionalno propratno pismo koje će vas voditi kroz svaki korak. Možete da kreirate nova propratna pisma ili uređujete postojeća koristeći Europass alat za kreiranje i uređivanje propratnih pisama.

Kako Europass pomaže?

Europass će vas voditi korak po korak kroz proces kako bi vam pomogao da kreirate dobro propratno pismo sa svim bitnim informacijama. Možete da kreirate, čuvate i dijelite propratna pisma na 31 jezika , birate između različitih šablona kako biste prilagodili svoju prijavu i lako ih dijelite iz svoje Europass biblioteke . 

Kreirajte svoj Europass

Kako napisati dobro propratno pismo

Propratno pismo treba da istakne vašu motivaciju da se prijavite za konkretni posao ili priliku i da pokaže zašto smatrate da ste najbolji kandidat. Vaše propratno pismo treba da se odnosi na određene primjere vašem CV-ju i opiše zašto su oni relevantni za radno mjesto za koje se prijavljujete.

Čitajte pažljivo

Pažljivo pročitajte oglas za slobodno radno mjesto i u propratnom pismu istaknite vještine koje se odnose na zahtjeve te pozicije.

Koristite ključne riječi

Koristite ključne riječi kada navodite svoje meke vještine kao što je navedeno u oglasu za konkurs (tačan/na, organizovan/na, timski igrač, itd.).

Budite kratki

Pravite kratke i jasne pasuse koji jasno pokazuju različite aspekte.

Upoznajte poslodavca

Odvojite vrijeme da istražite poslodavca kako biste stekli vrijedne uvide u kulturu njihove organizacije i u svom propratnom pismu navedite jednu ili dvije ključne tačke.

Neka bude kratko

Vaše propratno pismo ne bi trebalo da bude duže od jedne stranice.

• Prvi pasus - zašto ste motivisani da se prijavite za tu poziciju,
• Drugi pasus - kako ste najprikladniji kandidat za tu poziciju, i
• Treći pasus - zašto je ta kompanija dobar izbor za vas.

Koristite formalni ton

Koristite formalan, ljubazan ton i uvjerite se da nema pravopisnih grešaka.

Koristite jednostavne fontove

Koristite jednostavne nedekorativne stilove fonta, normalne veličine fonta (11-12) i optimalni razmak (1 ili 1,5).

Korisne usluge EU

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Možda će vas zanimati da pročitate

Kreirajte CV

Europass izjavu

Planirajte karijeru uz Europass

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