Applicants often ask whether a cover letter is required. When applying online, it is almost always expected. More importantly, a quality cover letter can help you stand out from the many applicants applying for the same mining job. This is especially important if you don’t yet have any experience in the mining industry.
Once you have your mining cover letter template, you can start writing.
Here are our 11 tips:
1. Tailor your cover letter to the mining job you are applying for.
2. Include your contact details.
3. Talk about what interests you about the role.
4. Refer to your relevant qualifications.
5. Emphasise relevant skills.
6. Emphasise relevant experience.
7. Use keywords.
8. Emphasise your commitment to safety.
9. Don’t hide your personality.
10. Get professional help.
11. Make sure your documents are error-free.
1. Tailor your cover letter to the mining job you are applying for.
Unfortunately, it is not enough to submit the same boring cover letter for all mining jobs you are applying for. Heaps of applicants do just that. But, guess what? If you take the time to tailor your cover letter to suit the job you are applying for, you will already have an edge on them! This means including the specific job title you are applying for, and the name of the company in your letter. It also means addressing your letter to the specific hiring manager wherever possible (their name is often included in the job ad; you just need to find it!).
2. Include your contact details.
State your contact details, including your full legal name, phone number and email address. Your home address is optional. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can include the URL here, too. This makes it easy for the hiring manager to contact you and invite you to interview.
3. Talk about what interests you about the role (not just the $$).
So many applicants forget to state WHY they are interested in a particular mining job. Employers want motivated, enthusiastic employees, and including a sentence on your interest in the role is key. While money may be a motivating factor for you, it is best not to include this in the cover letter. Instead, consider looking up the company’s values and writing a brief paragraph on how they align with your own. Or, you might choose to explain your motivation using personal connections to the industry. Perhaps you have an uncle or friend in the industry, so you have a sound understanding of the lifestyle and challenges. You could explain this in your cover letter.
4. Refer to your relevant qualifications.
The right qualifications are critical for getting that mining job. The job ad will specify what is needed, you just need to confirm in your cover letter that you have them. Qualifications like your White Card, machinery tickets and licences should be clearly listed.
5. Emphasise relevant skills.
A brief summary of your skills as they relate to the mining industry is important. Consider skills like safety, teamwork and time management. Include a brief sentence highlighting your most important skills.
6. Emphasise relevant experience.
If you have worked in the mining industry before, you should say so in your mining cover letter. Even if you haven’t any experience in the mining industry, if you have worked in another safety-critical work environment, you may want to refer to that. You should also refer to any work experience you have had in the actual position you are applying for.
7. Use keywords.
Applicants often get concerned that their resume and cover letter need to be ‘ATS-compliant’. ATS refers to Applicant Tracking Systems, which are the systems sometimes used by large employers to track their applicants. All you really need to do is make sure you are using the keywords in the job ad throughout your resume and cover letter. So, if the ad refers to wanting someone who is ‘innovative’, use this word in your cover letter, with an example of how you have demonstrated being innovative in a previous role.
8. Emphasise your commitment to safety.
Safety is key within the mining industry. You should have up your sleeve one or two examples of how you show a commitment to safety in previous roles. A brief sentence within your cover letter highlighting your ability to abide by WH&S policies can help.
9. Don’t hide your personality.
While your cover letter should be written in a professional format, showing a little bit of your personality can help you stand out. Too often, candidates think they need to adopt an overly serious, formal tone in their letter, when their personalities are often far from that!
For example, consider a sentence like this:
“I am a bit of a joker at work, as I have found having a laugh contributes to a positive workplace, which people enjoy coming to. At the same time, I ensure work is always achieved within required deadlines, and never let having fun get in the way of achieving work objectives.”
10. Get professional help.
If you are having trouble writing your mining cover letter, you may want to get professional help. A professional cover letter writer can help you formulate your cover letter and resume in a way that mining employers expect. Contact us.
11. Make sure your documents are error-free.
Spelling and grammar mistakes unfortunately can ruin an otherwise quality cover letter, making you look unprepared and unprofessional. A quick review by a trusted friend or colleague will help ensure your documents are error-free.
With a well-prepared cover letter, that well-paid mining job will not be far away.
