What is a Cover Letter?

A Cover letter is a letter that is used to accompany a CV or job application and it gives a job seeker an opportunity to express all the things that do not comfortably fit into a CV's often rigid format.

A good Cover Letter can make your job application or CV really stand out from the crowd. These days they usually take the form of an email and it will be the first thing a prospective employer reads about you so it is important to make sure you think about what information to include. If you are asked to handwrite a letter to accompany your CV make sure your writing is neat and legible.

One of the most important things to remember when writing a Covering Letter is to make it unique and tailor the letter the company and job you are applying for. Job seekers can find Cover letter templates on the internet and some make the mistake of sending them off to employers without making any changes. Templates can be used to help with a basic structure but ALWAYS change the content and try to alter the format too. Although there's no such thing as the perfect cover letter, following a basic structure will help make your cover letter a creditable accompaniment to your CV.

Cover letters don't have to be too formal so try to show your personality. If you write a good CV and excellent covering letter you will be well on the way to an interview!