The Right Covering Letter

• A poor covering letter will mean employers don't even bother to read your CV
• A great covering letter will guarantee you an interview

Remember:

• The covering letter is your marketing literature - your chance to sell yourself
• You want employers to be interested in and keen to read your CV
• You want your CV to stand out

Dos and Don'ts

DO:

• Always address the letter by name if one is provided
• Create a good first impression by being brief and structured
• Mention the job title of the role you are applying for, any reference number given to you and the source if you are responding to an advert
• Briefly outline your current situation
• Make it as relevant as possible
• Demonstrate you have done some research into the role
• State why you are interested
• Highlight your relevant skills and explain why the employer will want to meet you
• Ensure the letter flows freely - reading it aloud may help you
• Leave an impression of professionalism and ability to do the job
• Sign off "yours sincerely" if the letter is addressed by name, and "yours faithfully" if the letter is addressed "Dear Sir".

DON'T:

• Have any grammatical or spelling errors - some CVs are rejected immediately because of spelling mistakes
• Use unusual fonts, colours and text sizes
• Highlight any negatives on the CV
• Be too brief - it may give the impression that you are misrepresenting your experience
• Have one very obvious standard letter