Advice for your Cover Letter

Last week we were asked a great question from someone who had visited our stand at the connecticum fair. He shared a Futurice blog article (© 2015 Futurice) with us, in which he had read about making jokes in a cover letter and wanted to know whether we would recommend that.

Maybe you are asking yourself the same question – is it ok to make jokes in a cover letter? Here is the answer we gave him:

It always depends on where you are applying. We recommend to get in touch with the company you are interested in and get a feel for how they are. You can, e.g. call them to find out who you can address your application to and then see how they speak with you. Also, the language used on their website and social media conveys a lot about them. Based on that you can see whether it seems appropriate to make a joke or not. If you are not sure, then we would suggest you to err on the side of caution and stay more formal in your written application. In a personal interview, however, when you can get immediate feedback from the HR manager face-to-face, you can always see how the situation feels to you. If it seems relaxed and he or she is even cracking jokes, then go right ahead.