Cover Letter Hints and Tips

Follow the advice below to create a winning Cover Letter!

1. Make sure your letter or email is addressed to the right contact within an organisation. If you are sending a letter, double check the address is correct. If you are using the same template make sure you have changed the recipient’s name. Address your letter to 'Sir' or 'Madam' as this is impersonal and shows you haven’t done any research into the company.
2. First impressions count so make sure everything is spelt correctly and you have used the correct grammar. If you are sending an email use the spell check facility.
3. Include all your contact details on the cover letter, including address, telephone number, mobile phone number and email address.
4. Write or print your cover letter on good quality, white A4 paper that matches the paper of your CV.
5. Don’t duplicate what you have written in your CV. A cover letter is meant to show a prospective employer why you want to work for their particular company and what skills you have that match.
6. When sending a Cover Letter by email, it is important to send it as an attachment rather than in the body of the email.
7. When formatting your Covering letter use bullet points to highlight key achievements pertinent to the job and leave plenty of white space to make your letter look quick and easy to read.
8. Don’t include too much information. Write no more than five paragraphs (including an introduction and conclusion) as you want to make it as easy to read as possible and keep the reader’s interest.
9. Make your letter is tailored to the employer and job you are applying for. Change it every time you send your covering letter out.
10. Explain why you want the job and what attracts you to the company. This will help the employer understand what motivates you, and it is a chance to show that you have done some research into the company.
11. Remember to keep a copy of each letter you send out so you can refer back to it if invited to an interview.

Find out more about Cover Letters