November 11, 2009

The Covering Letter, part 2 – notes from the career coach

1. Most of your important information will be contained in your CV, but a covering letter gives you the opportunity to impress. Do not provide too much information—one page should suffice. You want to be short listed, so leave some things to discuss at interview.
2. Be careful to personalise your letter so it does not look like a circular or junk mail. The reader must know immediately that you have not have sent this letter to another employer. I still receive the occasional generalised letter. It doesn’t impress me.
3. Avoid the phrase "I am writing" in your opening paragraph, as this is obvious.
4. Consider using the same font and address style for both your CV and your covering letter for a consistent, professional look.
5. Tailor your answer carefully to the key words of the advertisement. Provide key examples of your achievements that relate to the key criteria of the position.
6. Incorporate into your letter, terminology the employer has used in the ad, written job description, or in a conversation. Don’t forget to match THEIR NEEDS to YOUR EXPERIENCE and ABILITIES.
7. Address the letter to a specific person. If the advert doesn’t say, ring the company and ask who to send the letter to.
8. Don’t forget to put the job title at the top of the letter and reference number where applicable.
9. Your letter should expand on your CV and complement your career summary, which you will adapt for each job you apply for.
10. Find relevant achievements in your work history and quote one or two succinctly and colourfully. It’s fine if you have also included them on your CV.

These top tips are taken from my book: How to get a job in a recession.

Filed under CVs