The cover page – like the rest of the documents – should look professional. Whilst lots of colours, unusual designs and quirky fonts may showcase your creativity, they usually come across as overbearing. State the position you are applying for, include your contact details and, if appropriate, a table of contents, and place your photo in the centre. Always check in advance what it looks like when printed. Also check what happens if it is printed in black and white only.

The signature in the email body is a way of making a professional impression.
As well as your full name, it should include your telephone number and email address. You can also add links to your profiles on career networks such as XING and LinkedIn. It is up to you whether you include your address here as well.

On the one hand, you can list your soft skills on your CV by including a separate section for them – just as you would for further training and language skills. However, it is at least as important to incorporate your soft skills into your cover letter as well. Here, though, you should not simply list your skills, but illustrate them clearly using specific examples.

Together with the opening sentence, the closing sentence forms the two highlights of the application letter. This makes it all the more important to use clear wording here and to avoid the subjunctive. Remember: your aim is to secure an invitation to an interview. You’ll score points by using positive phrasing such as ‘I look forward to’. Rhetorical questions, on the other hand, can easily come across as clichéd.

You can mention professional networks, provided they are up to date and well maintained. All others are only relevant if they are used for professional purposes or contain examples of your work.