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Actuary Cover Letter

Published on: 6 Jun 2016
Category:

Importance of an Actuarial cover letter

actuarial cover letter writing

In a study of HR professionals and recruiters by CV Writers, we found opinions divided on the value placed on a cover letter. Whilst 2/3 of those surveyed would read a CV whether a covering letter was present or not, the other 1/3 would only read a CV if a cover letter was included as part of the application. As a job seeker you, therefore, cannot afford to take a risk and it is always best to include a cover letter.

 A well-written actuarial cover letter usually focuses on: 

  1. Keep it brief
  2. What information to include?
  3. Specific examples are best
  4. Should I include my personal circumstances?
  5. The call to action

 

 

Keeping it brief

Three to four paragraphs are fine. If your cover letter has drifted to a second page then you may be including too much detail. It is worth remembering that a CV and cover letter are about getting an interview, not winning the job. You should elaborate on points and reinforce key strengths you feel are important for the reader to be aware of - but keep it brief

What information to include?

Without a doubt, the most important piece of advice is to ensure you mirror the requirements of the person specification of the job you are applying for. You will be assessed against this. It is therefore vital that you read the specification carefully and provide definitive evidence of how you meet what the employer is looking for. Focus on what you know are the key points in the specification and those that are aligned most to your achievements

Specific examples are best

It is one thing to claim you can do something. It is quite another to prove it. Your cover letter will be much more of a draw if you can use specific examples to demonstrate your skills in a particular area. Moreover, if you know what the results were in terms of business benefits and you can articulate these in facts and figures then this will be really useful

Should I include information about my personal circumstances?

In short, you should only include information that will aid your application. In the UK you are of course protected by various pieces of equal opportunities legislation so there is no need to reveal any information regarding religion, sex, race or disability. You want your application to be assessed purely on your ability to do the job so generally, it is better not to include any personal information.

The call to action

The primary call to action for a covering letter is to get the recruiter to look at your CV.  It’s only after reading your CV that any decision about inviting you to interview will be made so sign off by politely pointing the reader to your CV to find out more

This article is written by Neville Rose, Director of CV Writers. If you need help with your CV or LinkedIn profile CV Writers are the official partner to The Actuary Jobs and provide a CV writing service.