The Covering letter

28/10/2007 by admin.

Your covering letter is your first chance to sell yourself to a potential employer, so don’t waste it. Always send a covering letter with a CV or application form, whether it is asked for or not. The likelihood is that it will be the letter which will be read first, so if it is well written it will really make your application stand out.

Keep the letter short and to the point. Start your letter by stating the job that you’re applying for and where you saw the job advertised. Your letter should also explain why you are interested in the position. Read the application details carefully and do your research then write your covering letter so that it is tailored for that position.

Don’t just write “Please consider for the post advertised. I enclose my CV. Sell yourself – try to make your cover letter sound as enthusiastic as possible. Use positive language – instead of “I think I would be well suited for this position…” use “I consider that I am well suited to this position…” Sound confident in your abilities, highlight your enthusiasm for the job and emphasise your strengths. Focus on what you can do for them not what they can do for you. Match your skills to those given in the person specification in the job advert, using the same keywords where possible.

Construct the covering letter in the same format as a standard business letter. Put your address in the top right hand corner, the employer name (and person name and title if possible) and address below on the left, then a space and the date; followed by “Dear…” a few lines below. Include a header line in bold to clearly show what the letter is about e.g. ‘Application for store supervisor vacancy ref. no. 452. Use one side of A4 with no more than 4 paragraphs.

Structure your letter into three parts. The first part explains why you are writing and what you are applying for – the job title and where you saw the advert. The second section provides information about you and is your chance to set yourself apart from other candidates. Always accentuate the positive, if you don’t have any experience in the area you are applying to highlight any study that you have done in that area. Use bullet points for things that you want to stand out such as specific skills, relevant qualifications and key career details. The third part is for the next step, such as “I look forward to hearing from you.” Make your conclusion positive i.e. I am available for interview…, I can make a positive contribution to the team etc.

When you have finished your letter check it carefully for errors. Make sure that there are no spelling, typing or grammatical errors. Many employers use such mistakes to quickly reduce the amount of applications for short-listing. Check that you have got your main points across effectively and that you sound like an interesting candidate. Show it to someone else for feedback. Always keep a copy of your letter so that you don’t get caught out at interview.

If you are sending a speculative letter asking about possible job opportunities then all of the above still applies. Specify exactly what sort of job you are looking for and emphasise any advantages you have in terms of experience, qualifications and personality. Ask to make an informal visit or to shadow someone. Show that you have researched the organisation and its activities and make sure that you have at least taken the trouble to find out the name of the appropriate person to whom you should address your letter.

Taking the time to make your covering letter stand out is well worth the effort – always remember the old cliché ‘you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.’

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