Covering Letters

You may wonder why you should write a covering letter when your CV provides detailed information about you and your career, education and achievements to date.  To not write one would pass up the opportunity to sell yourself, personalise your application and create a good first impression.

A well written covering letter will make you stand out from the crowd and will make the employer want to spend more time reading your CV.  This is vitally important, particularly where there may be many applications for the same job.

HERE ARE SOME TOP TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR COVER LETTER:

Research the company and study the job profile so you fully understand the role. This will help you convey how your skills and experience match the role. It may also be appropriate to include the reasons why you like the company and want to work for them.

• Refer back to the job profile to pick out a few of the qualities and competencies the employer is looking for and provide evidence of how you meet them.
• Do not rewrite your CV.  Highlight what you have to offer, be clear and concise.  Ensure your letter is never more than a page long
• The structure of the letter should include:

         Your name and contact details, the name and job title of the recipient, company name and address and date
         A formal salutation
         The subject matter to include the job title you are applying for and any reference number provided

• Be positive – try to convey how motivated and enthusiastic you are and do not include negative comments. Also make sure you end the letter on a positive note by reiterating your confidence in meeting the requirements of the role and indicate that you would like the opportunity of discussing your suitability for the role in more detail at interview
• Finally, make sure your covering letter is clearly laid out with no typos or spelling errors. Do this and, compared to many job seekers, you’ll already stand out as an impressive candidate!