Covering Letters

General guidelines

It is vital to include a covering letter with your CV and it is a chance to highlight your skills for the job and why you want to work for this employer. The covering letter may be the first point of contact you have with an employer and it’s therefore crucial; even more so if your application is speculative.

The letter should highlight your achievements, knowledge of the role and the company and your reasons or motivation for applying. Your CV provides the factual information and your covering letter is your chance to market yourself and sell your skills to the employer, so the two should always be sent together.

Length

Your letter should not cover more than one side of A4 (unless it is including a supporting statement for a teaching job).

Appearance

• If you are posting your letter, use the same good quality paper that you are using for your CV.
• Word process the letter unless specifically asked to hand write it.
• Use a normal business layout of a letter
• Use clear, short paragraphs and concise sentences
• Try to keep the same style and font as used on your CV

Content

• Language and grammar used is very important so be sure to double check it before sending
• Try to use the name of a person rather than an impersonal "Dear Sir/Madam".
• Try to avoid just repeating what is on your CV. Your covering letter should instead complement and expand on the information in your CV, drawing out key information that can demonstrate your suitability for the role you are applying for.

The structure of the letter could be as follows:

• Introduce yourself and explain why you are writing
• Explain why you are interested in the role and that particular area of work
• Highlight your relevant skills and experiences and try to match them to the requirements of the role
• Explain why you wish to work for that particular employer. You could include here some facts you know about the company and how you think you could benefit the company
• Finish the letter on a polite and optimistic note
• If starting "Dear Mr Brown" sign off with "Yours sincerely".
• If starting "Dear Sir/Madam" sign off with "Yours faithfully".

Relevant websites

• CV and covering letter advice on Prospects.ac.uk and Targetjobs