In last week’s blog I covered how to plan a good ‘Personal Statement’ when preparing a CV, and I promised that we’d have a look at how to write the kind of covering letter or email that will get your application noticed this week. See here goes!
A brief letter or email should always accompany your CV. Here are some of the things you should bear in mind when you’re writing it:
- The letter should be on one page only if it is accompanied by a CV.
- Don’t forget to say why you are interested in the job.
- Unless they specifically ask for a handwritten letter, always have it typed
- Refer to the newspaper/journal/internet site where you saw the position advertised.
- Mention that you have enclosed/attached your CV and are willing to attend an interview at a convenient time.
- Make sure that your letter is dated.
- If testimonials/certificates are requested, send photocopies, not the originals.
- Make sure that all the information asked for in the advertisement is included in your letter, if it does not form part of the CV.
And most important of all, it must contain the facts that support the application. This material should be tailored to each specific job for which you apply. You would not include this in the general CV so it forms an essential part of the covering letter. It is worth spending considerable time studying the advertiser’s requirements to ensure that you make this part of the covering letter relevant.
For example, if you were applying for an Office Manager’s position you might include something like this:
“The Business English Course which I recently studied has helped me to improve my general communication skills. It has also increased my knowledge of office procedures and more efficient systems.
I have also had experience of controlling numerous staff in my present job and as a manager I am able to work well both independently and as part of a team.”
The majority of firms now accept CVs and letters of application by email. If an email address is provided in the job advert then you should use this method. Make sure you put the job title in the subject line so that the person receiving it does not mistake it for ‘spam’. Include what you would normally put in a covering letter in the body of your email. Make sure you use correct grammar and check your spelling carefully.
Also, use a polite salutation. If the name of a person is given use it (ie Dear Mrs Smith,). Don’t use ‘Hi!’ or other informal greetings.
You should have your CV saved as a word document (updated whenever appropriate), so you can simply attach it to the email and press ‘send’. It really is as simple as that!
Author: Diana Nadin
