Each letter should be customised. Address it to a person not an organisation. As you write your letter imagine yourself in a face-to-face conversation with a real person. Your task is to convince this person that you have the skills, interest, energy and enthusiasm to do the job. Focus on the main skills and experience that the employer asks for. Draw the employer’s attention to the skills and personal qualities that you will bring to the job. A letter that lacks personal details and fails to address the selection criteria will not engage the employer’sinterest and will probably be rejected. Your letter should be clear, crisp, concise, polite and business-like. Avoid language that is overly formal, legalistic or flowery. Sentences should be short and to the point. Use strong verbs that demonstrate action and accomplishment e.g. organised, supervised, co-ordinated. A good cover letter should include the following information. Your Details Your name, address and telephone number (include Email address if relevant). The Date The date you are sending out the letter (spell out the ‘month’ i.e. 9 January 2001). Employer Details The name and title of the person, the company (address) to whom you are writing. Target your letter to department heads and hiring managers. If necessary telephone the company to ensure you have the correct spelling of the person’s name and title. Salutation ‘Dear” is the usual salutation, followed by their title, ‘Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr’ etc. and then the family name or surname. Avoid ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To whom it may concern’… if at all possible. Avoid using the first name in a formal letter unless you have personally spoken with or been introduced to the person and first names were used. Opening Paragraph Explain why you are writing. If applying for a job, give the job title and any job reference numbers. Name the source of your information e.g. ‘Victoria CareerHub’, ‘Evening Post’, a personal contact etc. Include a strong positive statement about yourself and your qualifications, for example: “your advertisement for a policy analyst seems to match my qualifications exactly.” If interested in a summer position or an information interview, make this clear. Someone may have referred you to that particular company, you may have a contact there or perhaps you spoke to someone as part of an information gathering exercise to help you decide whether or not to apply for the position. Grab the reader’s attention, mention that person by name. You will immediately become less two dimensional to the reader as you now have something in common. Second and Third Paragraphs Explain why you want the job and how your skills and experience qualify you for it. Your research should have made you aware of what career opportunities exist within the company and how they relate to your career goals. Briefly describe your current situation – final year student … due to complete a degree in … graduating December 2010, etc. If the job does not have a direct link with your degree and courses studied, then give a convincing explanation e.g. if you are applying for a marketing positions and your degree is in English Literature, then you need to explain why you are interested in Marketing, give evidence of how genuine and developed that interest is, identify any skills a degree in English develops that would transfer to a marketing career. The covering letter is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the company, the industry, markets and the economic climate in which it operates. If there is anything about you in terms of your skills, interests, aptitude or experience that make you unique, then the covering letter is the place to bring this to the employer’s attention. Remember to keep the emphasis on what you can offer the company – not on what they can offer you. Closing Paragraph The closing paragraph must be positive. Request an opportunity to discuss your application in an interview and state your willingness to provide further details. If there are any restrictions on when you would be available for an interview, make this clear. An employer will be put off if they find it difficult to contact you. If appropriate, state that you intend to follow up the applications, but be clear about when and how you will do this. This is crucial where the cover letter is part of an unsolicited application. Close by thanking the reader for their time and consideration. Finally... The cover letter usually closes with “Yours sincerely’. Type your name leaving room above it for your signature (usually 6 line spaces). Don’t forget to enclose materials as required, for example, CV, Testimonial, Academic Transcript and Company Application Form. Appearance and Layout Make your letter attractive to read. Your letter should be of a professional quality, typed or word processed unless the employer indicates otherwise. Use good quality paper – A4 watermark 90-100 gsm. Pay attention to print quality, laster printed text is preferable. Coloured paper or ink should be used with care. Many applications are photocopied and colours such as red and dark colours photocopy badly. No creases, smudges or errors! Do not fold your letter and CV. Print on one side only. Place it flat in an A4 envelope. Experiments with graphics should be avoided unless you are fairly confident of your skill in this area. Employers often look for evidence of creativity or genuine talent in a well designed and attractive application. Applications for marketing, advertising or design positions are good examples of where cover letters need to really stand out. Checklist Is the opening of the letter strong, positive and interesting? Is it clear, crisp, concise and one page? Is it professional, attractively presented and easy-to-read? Have I checked each statement for spelling and grammar, clarity and impact? Does key information required by the employer stand out? Is my interest in the job and knowledge of the organisation clear to the employer? Have you ended the letter in a positive and pro-active manner? Have you made it clear where, and how, you can be contacted? Have you included all relevant material i.e. CV, academic transcript etc. Have you remembered to sign it? Proof Read! - Proof Read! - Proof Read! ...then have someone else .... Proof Read!
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:15:24 +0000
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