Features - Covering Letters
Covering Letters - A CV Centre Guide
The covering letter that you send out to a potential employer with your CV is arguably just as important as the CV itself. It is an ideal opportunity for you to expand upon the skills and experiences that are highlighted in your CV whilst also enabling you to express a bit of your personality. There are two main types of cover letter which can be used to accompany CVs - Advert Response and Speculative - and we will run through both in detail in the sections below.
In general, covering letters should be no longer than one page, unless you have been given clear instructions to the contrary. It is important that they be written concisely and articulately. Take your time over them; do not rush. It is also essential to check that there are no spelling or grammatical errors as this is very possibly the employer's first impression of you. Make sure it is a positive one. Presentation is clearly of the utmost important and, again unless specified, letters should always be typed and laser-printed onto high quality paper.
Advert Response
It is advisable to ensure that you do match any essential criteria specified in the job advert before you send in your application. For example, if a job advert specifies that the candidate must have ten years experience in marketing, and you have only two years experience, there is probably very little point in your applying for the position. However, there are some circumstances in which some degree of flexibility may apply. An example of this could be if the job requires an "excellent working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite" and, although you have no practical experience it its application, you have recently completed the CLAIT qualification so do have a good theoretical knowledge.
Be sure to read the advert very carefully so that you can address the letter correctly and mark it for the attention of the relevant member of staff. You should also include the title of the post you are applying for and any reference numbers given - often, companies will be seeking candidates for a variety of positions and will want to see clearly which job is being applied for.
The first paragraph should be quite brief and simply detail where you saw the advert and on what date. In the main body of the letter you should then go on to highlight your skills and experience more fully. If certain criteria are mentioned in the advert, you should ideally try to explain exactly how you match these - with brief but relevant examples that demonstrate your suitability. Also, say why you want to work for that organisation in particular, referring to any research that you have carried out on the company to emphasise that you understand them and their line of business.
The final paragraph should conclude with any other information requested in the advert such as salary and availability for interview. And before you send it off, do read through the advert once more to ensure that you have fully satisfied their criteria, keeping an awareness of the specified closing date.
Speculative
The principal content of a speculative letter follows similar lines to the advert response type, but make sure once again to tailor the letter towards the organisation in question. The way you open and close the letter will of course also need to be different.
Even if you are not responding to an advert, you must try to address the letter to a specific person rather than just stating "Dear Sir/Madam". You may well need to contact the organisation by phone in advance to find out the name of an appropriate contact but it has been proven that letters addressed to a specific person do get better results. Once again, conduct some basic research into the company so that you can highlight the particular skills and qualifications you possess which are of relevance to the business.
Obviously, the closing paragraph should encourage future contact rather than demand it, as well as requesting for your details to be stored on file should a suitable vacancy not currently be available.
Professional Help
Of course, the advice above may well be 'easier said than done' and the best way to ensure that your covering letters inspire the reader to turn over enthusiastically - and read the accompanying CV - is to enlist the services of a professional. Take advantage of The CV Centre's covering letter service and maximise your chances of getting through to the interview stage. The CV Centre is the UK's leading CV consultancy and, with many years experience in this sector, you can be sure our cover letters are of the highest possible quality.
The CV Centre - www.ineedacv.co.uk
