Cover Letter - Spain

Once you've prepared your resume, it's time to highlight your achievements in the cover letter. How you go about doing that can also vary from country to country. In this section you'll find some general as well as culturally specific tips about how to make your letter (and yourself!) stand out when applying for a job in Spain.

• No longer than one page.
• Leave space between paragraphs.
• Don't use abbreviations.
• Use short sentences.
• Be careful about presentation.
• Write the letter by hand if asked on the ad. Otherwise, make it always on the same style as the CV, by computer.
• Don't start the sentences with the pronoun "yo".
• If it's a calling letter, try to find out the name of the person you should address the letter to.
• Direct the letter to:
  • Apreciado Señor/ Apreciada Señora Señores
  • Distinguido Señor/ Distinguida Señora
  • Muy Sr. mío/ Muy Sra. mía
  • Estimado Señor/ Estimada Señora
• Close the letter with
  • Atentamente le saluda
  • Atentamente
  • Cordiales saludos

First paragraph:

• Try to engage the reader in the first paragraph.
• State why you are writing and where you heard about the opening (from a newspaper ad, your school's career center, or somewhere else).
• If you know the company, this is the moment to show it, with a few lines.

Second paragraph:

• Give your reasons for your interest in the job.
• Clarify what position you're interested in.
• Emphasize your qualities that best fit the position.
• Explain why are you interested in working for them and how can the company benefit from you working there.

Third paragraph:

• Express interest in having an interview and state your availability.

Fourth paragraph:

• End. Point out you're looking forward to their response.
• It's good (although it's not common) to conclude by saying that you will call the person in the next couple of weeks as a follow up; and then make sure to call them.
• Sign the letter.
• Finally, remind them how to contact you: Name, address and phone number.

Other things to keep in mind:

• Make it personal; don't give the impression that this is a standard letter.
• Do not exaggerate or flatter yourself (quite different from some countries where it is common to go on and on about how wonderful you are).