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Covering letters

When you apply for a job, you should always include a customised covering letter because it gives you the opportunity to showcase your passion and personality. That being said, remember that the employer wants to know what you can do for them and not vice versa!

The code to covering letters

  • Address your covering letter to the relevant person in the organisation, If you don’t know their name, call the company to find out.
  • Put the job title, reference number, publication title and date in the heading. If you found the vacancy online, put the name of the website, reference number and the date it was posted.
  • If someone referred you to the organisation, include this in your opening paragraph.
  • Mention what you’re enclosing or attaching.
  • Be clear about why you’re applying for that particular role at that particular company.
  • Give examples of your abilities as per the requirements in the job spec.
  • Keep your covering letter to three or four paragraphs and one side of an A4 page.
  • Don’t be over-familiar.
  • Mention when you’re available for interview.
  • Triple check your grammar and spelling and avoid repetition.
  • Don’t use jargon, abbreviations or acronyms.
  • Limit your use of ‘I’ because it gives the employer the impression that you haven’t considered them.
  • Use the same font that you used on your CV.