Research for cover letters?

Hi everyone,

We all know how important cover letters can be when applying to consultancies - to explain what you are applying for, why you are applying for the specific company and why you think the firm should hire you.

My question refers to the "why this company" part. I know that we must do research and really understand what the company offers - but how does this really work in practice, especially if you are not lucky enough to have actually been to the company's recruitment event/talked to employees/visited the office?

With so many consultancies offering similar careers in similar environments, I find it hard to make really good cases for each firm in my cover letters. Googling small but competitive consultancies does not always lead to good results. Recent deals may not be listed anywhere and searches just result in some studies the firm posted recently. The key resource here I guess would be the firms' websites, but what do you look for on there? Isn't it still too general to pinpoint some facts from their website, such as a mentoring scheme they have or fast career progression opportunities? How is it possible to find something more specific for a company? Are there are any specific steps/things to look at that you would recommend in this case?

 

The reality is that your CL will be 'read' for no more than 30 seconds. At the entry level, there will be very little differentiation in what candidates have to say other than the standard "I am capable and I fit in here" so unless your writing is terrible or you put the wrong firm on the letter (done it), the CL is rarely make or break

I would focus your efforts on networking and actually getting to know people within the firms you're applying to. This will allow you to namedrop on the cover letters (which will likely help more than anything else) and if you're lucky, may even get you a referral.

 

You should visit the company in person or via online and read more about the company you are applying for. Know the services and jobs they are offering as well as the qualification so that you identify that fits your skil. Try to know their vision and mission statement as well.

 
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