Covering Letters

What is a covering letter?

A covering letter is the document that accompanies your CV when you apply for a job.  It is an essential part of any job application which needs to be attention grabbing whilst being concise.  It acts as a personal introduction and gives you the opportunity to explain to an employer why you are the best candidate for the job.

Unlike a CV, which is an overview of your skills, work experience and accomplishments, a covering letter highlights your relevant skills and job experiences and is tailored to the job you are applying for.

 

How to write a covering letter

A covering letter should include the following:

  • How and why the job interests you
  • Your most relevant skills and experience
  • How your skill sets will benefit the employer
  • Requesting an interview

Basic Structure

A covering letter follows similar structure to a normal letter.

Place your contact information at the top, include a salutation, date and subject – the name of the position (and reference number if applicable).

First paragraph – the introduction should set out why you are applying for the job, state the position you are applying for and where you saw the job advertised.

Second paragraph – show why you are suitable for the job, why you would like to work for this particular company and what you can offer.

Third paragraph – this is about you – here you can include why the job appeals to you and how your relevant qualifications, job experiences and skills match the specific job requirements.  Your covering letter should not be a copy of your CV, instead it should highlight your most notable achievements and then show how these skills can benefit the employer.

Final paragraph – conclude your covering letter by thanking them for their consideration and mention that your CV is attached.  You can indicate that you would be available for an interview and that you are looking forward to receiving their response.

Closing – use ‘Yours sincerely’ if you have used their name, or ‘Yours faithfully’ if you had addressed them as ‘Sir/Madam’. Finally, include your signature and name.

 

Tips for writing your covering letter

Employers receive lots of job applications so you need to ensure that your letter makes a lasting impression for the right reasons.

Research

Before applying for a job it is important to find out more about a company.  By building up your knowledge it will help you to tailor your covering letter and show your passion for the job and the sector.  You do not have to spend lots of time researching, and you can easily check out their website, Facebook page and online newspaper articles to find out the following:

  • Mission Statement
  • The company and its culture
  • Recent campaigns
  • The sector and any recent news
  • Skills and experience required
  • Areas in which they work

By doing this you can see if their values match your own and, most importantly, if you would like to work for them?

Tailor to the organisation

Each covering letter should be specifically tailored to the company and job that you are applying for.  Read the job description and pick out which of your skills or experiences to highlight.  You can mirror some of the phrases used in the job advert. Use examples to show why you are their ideal candidate.

Proof read

Never rely on spellcheck to pick up mistakes.  It is easier to spot mistakes if you print out your covering letter and check it for spelling and grammar errors, or ask a friend to proof read it for you.  Make sure your contact details and their company details are correct.  You can also check it using Grammarly.

Format

Presentation is important, so make sure you have formatted your letter properly.  Use the same font and print size that you used for your CV.  Save your letter in a .pdf file extension so that the file is locked and it is easy for an employer to open and read.

Highlight your USPs

USPs are your ‘unique selling points’.  Be positive about your skills and experiences and clearly outline how they meet those requested in the job advert.  This will demonstrate why you are the ideal candidate.

Keep it short

Your covering letter should fit onto a single A4 page.  Remember that employers do not have the time to read a 3,000 word letter, so keep it simple and concise.

 

What not to include!

  • Spelling mistakes
  • Incorrect information
  • Wage or salary expectations
  • An unprofessional email address
  • Highlighted words, fancy fonts, use of colours or images
  • No moaning!  – do not moan about your previous employer or experiences

 

And lastly…

You can find lots of examples, and templates, on how to structure and write your covering letter online