Getting a job in Austria requires submitting a file including the necessary information for your candidacy. Austrian recruiters are very selective. They give a great importance to the personality of candidates. Since a CV is not a sufficient document to get the job, a cover letter should be annexed to your application file. Here is an article to show you what you need to know while writing a cover letter for Austrian job applications.

Do Cover Letters Matter in Austria?

After preparing a CV following the Austrian standards, it is essential to go to the next step which is writing a cover letter. A cover letter in Austria is a speech describing your interest in the job. Since Austrian recruiters pay attention to personality and look for a specific profile with certain personal traits, your cover letter is the best way to prove that you are the one. It is an opportunity to talk about yourself to show that you meet the requirements of a specific position. Since the aim is always to make your application unique in the eyes of the recruiter, sign up to Fratres to know the secrets of standing out from hundreds of applicants. Fratres is not only a worldwide job search engine. It also teaches you about the specificities of each career choice. Take a look at; The Five Secrets That You Shouldn't Know About Getting Started

What you should know about Cover Letters

A cover letter is often a hard task for a candidate. It is not only a simple letter, which you can automatically copy from the internet. It takes a serious effort by being free from spelling or grammatical errors, and well structured. Above all, it must be really original. Keep in mind that recruiters rarely spend more than five to ten minutes for a full application, including CV, cover letter and diplomas. A cover letter is not a re-written CV. It gives more room for personal expression than CVs do. If you know how to represent yourself well to recruiters, it will be the best way to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Remember that your cover letter for jobs in Austria must be written in German. To send a job interview cover letter, you need to follow these guidelines:

1. The Cover Letter Shape

A cover letter in Austria can exceed a single page depending on the information meeting the job such as previous training, experiences, volunteering etc… It must fit on an A4 sheet.

2.A Cover Letter Header:

 Austrian cover letters include a personalized header, at the top right of the document. Feel free to use a special font or color, the one you use on your business card, for example. Don't overdo it either: it's about being creative and stylish, avoid Font Comic Sans Ms with celebration style!  The header must include:

-Your first name and last name

-Your profession be it previous or current: in case of being an entry-level applicant, put your degree/diploma.

-Address and contact information followed by your website/ twitter/ LinkedIn profile (if available).

-The recruiter's contact information should be placed at the top left of the document:

- The company/ Organization name

-The recruiter’s name/ last: Again, check the spelling several times and if you don't recognize the gender of the first name, do your research. Don't forget to mention the title of Mag. ( equivalent to the Master's degree). Doctoral titles are a very serious matter in Austria, equivalent to military or doctor titles here! Take a look at; Degree equivalency and transferring foreign qualifications in Austria

-The company mailing address

-The place and date should be placed above the subject of the letter.

-The subject of the letter is the traditional "Betreff" in German. Nowadays, it is no longer applicable to put the mention "Betreff" in front of the subject of his letter. Get straight to the point. Here is an example of an Austrian Cover Letter header for both experienced and entry-level applicant:

Awatef Hamdi                                                                   Awatef Hamdi

Lawyer in Business Law                                       Master’s in International Business Law

Liesing , Vienna,                                                                Liesing , Vienna,

+43 11110000010000                                                   +43 11110000010000

[email protected]                                                [email protected]

+43 10000000010000                                                   +43 10000000010000

[email protected]                                                [email protected]

Hora Business Consulting Firm                              Hora Business Consulting Firm

Frau Alice Stat                                                                     Frau Alice Stat

Hora Business Consulting.com                              Hora Business Consulting.com

15/10/2012, Vienna                                                          15/10/2012, Vienna

A Business Lawyer Cover Letter                                 A Business Lawyer Cover Letter    

3. A Cover Letter Format:

A cover letter includes from 3 to 5 Paragraphs. Each paragraph contains one distinct idea and it should be separated by one line. In Austria, paragraphs do not have a right indent. Write it without making a right indent at the beginning of paragraphs. Let’s take the example of four paragraphs; here are some general tips on writing them:

Paragraph 1: an introduction:

The introduction should be short and concise. From the first sentence, you can identify a professional reference to the recruiter, if you had one. For example: "Following a telephone conversation with Frau Angela, I received the information about a vacancy within your company. With total enthusiasm, I wish to apply as an Accountant within this firm".

 If you have no contact with anyone at the company, you can include the reference of obtaining the job; “After receiving a notification from Fratres, I would like to apply as a Graphic Designer. I am a creative person, very passionate about digital technologies. I have also three years of experience in the creation of Smartphone applications ".

Paragraph 2: Give the reasons for your application

In a second paragraph, you can explain what motivates your application to this company and for this position in particular. Why this employer and not another? Do in-depth research through internet websites or professional networks in the concerned workplace.

Paragraph 3: write about yourself

 Why are you the ideal candidate for this specific position? To answer this you should list your professional experiences and your training. This information, even though written in the CV, must be detailed and adapted to this application.  You can further underline your personal qualities and skills, as personality is not well highlighted in CVs. Austrian recruiters attach great importance to the personality of the candidates. So, be creative and know how to showcase the positive points of your personality.

Paragraph 4: conclusion

 The conclusion should allow you to request checking your CV and arranging a meeting with the recruiter. The polite formula of closing your cover should be brief such as,  simple "Mit freundlichen Grüßen" (with best regards) or "Freundliche Grüsse"(Sincerely)  will suffice to elegantly say goodbye to your interlocutor. Don't forget to sign your letter and scan it if you are sending it by email.

These were the things you should know about the Austrian cover letter. The key to getting a job in Austria lurks in preparing an interesting application file rich with personal and professional information. Don’t forget to proofread your cover letter. A perfect spelling is essential; Austrian recruiters do not tolerate more than 2 spelling errors in a letter or any written document. So, take the time to be proofread by a native German speaker.