Looking to start the new year with a role in social care? Already a social worker but fancy a new challenge? Whatever the case, our consultants have years of experience in the sector and know exactly what recruiters are after when it comes to cover letters. Carry on reading for 3 tips for writing the perfect social worker cover letter.
1.Promote
Writing a cover letter is all about promoting yourself as the best person for the role, so make sure you know how to sell your skills!
Use your introductory paragraph to outline who you are, why you’re interested in the position being advertised and most importantly, why you are the best fit.
In the body of the letter, tell the hiring manager what experience you have and make sure it matches up to the role requirements set out in the job description.
Be specific about the type of social work experience you have, for example the caseloads you have managed and the type of service users you have worked with. We recommend using bullet points if your experience is particularly extensive. Be clear and concise and avoid over exaggerating or waffling.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t be passionate! Explain what draws you to this particular vacancy and how your specific experience would help make positive change.
2.Personalise
In order to be a successful social worker, it is paramount to have exceptional people skills - you’re going to be working with people in close proximity after all! This means it is important to showcase your personality throughout your cover letter and avoid sounding like a robot at all costs.
Make sure to research the organisation before sitting down to write your cover letter, so that you can tie in your reasons for applying with company values. Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the area of social care you are interested in by relating it back to prior experience. If you are moving from one area of social care to another, make sure to explain the reason for the career shift and how your current experience is transferable.
3. Proofread
Once you’ve painted yourself as the ideal candidate, it’s time to proofread! We recommend reading the letter through at least twice, as well as getting a second pair of eyes to double check for typos. Another way to improve the effectiveness of your proofreading process is getting your laptop to read the text out loud - this way you can easily hear if there are any undetected spelling mistakes or punctuation errors. Most applications, including Word and Google Docs have this feature. Even if this adds an extra 15 minutes to the application process, we promise it’s worth doing.
Now you’re ready to write! We wish you all the best of luck and hope these tips help get you on your way.
If you’re still searching for a new role in social care, check out our current opportunities or get in touch with the Imperium Resourcing team via info@imperiumsolutions.co.uk.
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