Alternatives to a cover letter to help you stand out

Cover letters are a great addition to a CV as they're a way for the employer to gain insight into what you're about, other than a list of skills and experience. It's where you can show your personality, why you want to work for them in particular, and how you can benefit them.

But what other ways are there to boost your application and ensure you stand out from the crowd? Read our list to learn more:

Create a microsite

The great thing about having your own website is that you can easily show your personal brand. Creating a look and feel as well as the tone of voice that feels like you will help the employer to get an understanding for what you're like.

To create your personal brand, start by writing down your areas of interest, who you are, and your unique selling points. Remember: you are not your credentials. You are made up of a unique blend of your experiences, accomplishments, skills, personality and values.

Think about:

• Your skills and gifts: what can you bring to the table?
• Your characteristics: which personality traits shine through your work?
• Your values: which ones guide your work?
• Your experiences: which ones highlight your potential or have driven you in the right direction

For help creating your personal brand, check out our online course.

It might seem daunting to set up a website at first but there are plenty of easy-to-use and reasonably priced options. These sites will walk you through it step-by-step: Strikingly, Carrd, Squarespace and Wix.

You could include sections showing the pieces of work you're most proud of, information about yourself and your personal interests, and the services you offer.

Do a competitor analysis

Show your potential new employer that you've done research on the industry they're in by conducting a competitor analysis. Not only will this help you to get a better understanding of the movers and shakers in their industry, but it shows the employer that you're already thinking about how you can help solve their problems.

Start by identifying their main competitors in three categories:

1. Direct competition: like for like products/services, e.g Pepsi and Coke.
2. Indirect competition: products/services which could satisfy the same needs e.g Dairy Milk and Ombar which are both chocolate brands but they're targeting different people.
3. Replacement competition: businesses that could replace theirs altogether e.g. Air BnB to hotels.

Next, conduct a short SWOT analysis on each. This means looking at their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Look at their websites and social media platforms to see what they're doing well, and areas for improvement. Looking at their customer reviews is also a great way of getting an understanding of how they're perceived.

Think about their position in the market e.g. who are they targetted towards, any particular geographic location, price, benefits and differentiation.

Provide free work or ideas

Depending on what the job is, you may be able to do some dummy work for them. For example, if the role is in marketing or social media, why not create some social posts or write a blog post for them? Or if it's to do with project management, make up a project and tell them how you'd go about organising it. If it's in customer service write out some example answers to made up customers. Anything to show them how your skills can get the job done. This kind of initiative can be really impressive.

You could also provide ideas to help them stand out based on the competitor analysis you've conducted.

Record a video cover letter and CV

If you feel comfortable on camera, film a video cover letter and CV. This is a great way for the employer to see your personality and what you're like. It's a great excuse to get creative! If it worked for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, it could work for you.

For more help and ideas for standing out from the crowd in your applications, check out our article on standing out in your job search.