RSS Job FeedsResume Cover Letter Writing Help
Get help writing your CV cover letter, read our examples and make a great first impression.Every time you send out a CV you must send a CV covering letter with it, whether you are responding to an advert or sending a speculative application.
A CV turning up without a CV covering letter is likely to be ignored.
But CV cover letter writing needn’t be difficult, just follow our tips and you’ll have a professional cover letter that will attract the attention of your potential supply chain employer.
The covering letter is a very important part of your application; it is what announces you and your CV to the prospective employer and could be the difference between getting an interview and being passed over.
Your resume cover letter needs to say a lot more than just that your CV is enclosed.
You need to pick out the highlights from your CV and expand on specific skills and experiences which make you the right person for the job. The reader wants to know what you can add to the company and this is your opportunity to emphasise those things.
- AIM OF A COVER LETTER
- TARGETING
- SUGGESTED FORMAT
- LENGTH
- TYPED OR HANDWRITTEN?
- DOs
- DON'Ts
- IF YOU ARE EMAILING...
- EXAMPLE COVER LETTERS
Before you write your CV covering letter you should clearly decide what you are trying to achieve. The format used is similar in each case, please see Suggested Format for tips on how to layout your letter.
Applying for an advertised vacancy
- Do research on the company and include this information in your resume cover letter
- Read the advertisement and make sure you address each of the requirements
- Draw attention to your relevant qualifications that make you suitable for the position
- Address the letter to the person named in the advert
To see an example of a resume cover letter for an advertised vacancy click here.
In this instance you are applying for a position that has not been advertised. This can be a good way to get a job as it is unlikely there will be many other applicants and this method shows initiative.
- Do research on the company and include this in the CV covering letter
- Make positive statements about what you can contribute to the company
- If possible refer to somebody in the company or a newspaper article
It is in your best interests to follow up this application so indicate how you intend to do this in the closing paragraph of you letter
To see an example of a CV covering letter for a speculative application click here.
Work experience is an excellent way to decide on a career path or to gain more experience in your chosen career. Many companies offer work experience and good companies will give you a lot more to do than just making the tea or filing, such as job shadowing.
- There are 2 types of work experience: paid and unpaid. Obviously it is much easier to get unpaid work experience
- Address the letter to a named person in the company. If you know which department you want to work in you could send your letter directly to the Head of that department
To see an example of a CV covering letter for a work experience application click here.
After spending all that time creating a good, well designed CV don't be tempted to write a quick standard cover letter just so that you can get your application in the post. Your letter must:
- Address an individual person. Never address the letter to "Sir/Madam", if you are unsure who to write to phone up the company and find out
- Mention the advert for the job or state your reason for contacting the company
- Highlight your abilities and skills that are appropriate to the individual company and position you are seeking
- Demonstrate a knowledge of the company and their products/services.
There is no right or wrong way to write a CV covering letter, but it will be easier to write a good covering letter if you set out clear objectives and present them in a clear way.
- Explain who you are and why you are writing
- If you are responding to an advert state when and where you saw it
- Quote the reference number if one has been provided
- Mention if you have had any previous contact with the company
- Confirm that your CV is enclosed
- Briefly explain your job and qualifications
- Highlight skills that are appropriate for the job and the company
- Relevant work experience
- Refer to your CV, e.g. "As you will see from my enclosed CV…" this will entice them to read on and pay more close attention to your CV
- This is your opportunity to expand on information provided in your CV, but be careful not to oversell yourself or make too much of things that aren't mentioned in your CV at all.
- Give details of your interest in the company and why you want to join them
- Include some facts about the company to prove your knowledge and research, e.g. "As the largest supplier of tar in the Midlands…"
- Mention anything that has contributed to your interest in them, e.g. presentations, job fairs, contact with representatives through previous employment
- Request an opportunity for an interview
- State how you will follow up this application: either wait for their response or if appropriate say that you will telephone in a few days to discuss the matter further
Remember, if you say that you are going to call make sure you do! - End politely and without a fuss
- Sign the letter with your name clearly repeated under your signature
- Remember to include your contact details in the letter
Try to include as much information as possible but bear in mind that if your CV covering letter is over one typed side of A4 your reader is likely to lose interest and may not finish the letter.
A typed covering letter is more and more often the norm. It's easier to read and looks more professional, but be warned a standard resume cover letter can be spotted a mile away!
Handwriting your cover letter has its advantages; it shows that you have put a lot of effort into the individual application, rather than just pressing 'print', it adds a personal touch and it proves that you have good spelling, grammar and punctuation.
With the advent of email the handwritten CV covering letter has taken a bit of a backseat and if invited to email your application it is a good idea to do so as it proves that you are technologically proficient.
The decision is up to you but try to think which form your potential employer may prefer, if they are an IT company they would probably be more impressed by a typed cover letter.
- Make sure your letter is addressed to the right person at the right address
- Check all spelling, grammar and punctuation (including titles and addresses)
- Include your contact details in the cover letter
- Write your cover letter on good quality paper that matches your CV
- Customise your cover letter to target your potential employer
- Use bullet points if you need to, it can make the letter easier and quicker to read
- Include a proper introduction and ending
- State how you would like this application to be followed up
- Send your CV covering letter to "Sir/Madam"
- Write reams. Your letter should be short, concise and to the point; you don't need to duplicate all the information on your CV, just pick out the highlights
- Use long words simply to impress. This won't give an accurate representation of yourself and you may misuse a word
- Make sure your CV covering letter is written in a common font that is easy to read with standard formatting
- If you are attaching your CV and cover letter, remember to attach it!
Don't just copy these CV covering letters, always make your cover letter individual to you and your potential employer. Remember you want to catch your reader's attention, stimulate interest and sell yourself.
Applying for an advertised vacancy
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Rachel Winter Tel: (xxxxx) 123 456 21st September 2003 Ms Kate Bingford Dear Ms Bingford, Re: Human Resources Coordinator vacancy, Ref: HRC1 I write with reference to the above position advertised in The Harrow Post, 20/09/03. As you will see from my enclosed CV I have a great deal of experience in all aspects of Human Resources. I feel that many of the skills I have gained would be well utilised in the role of Supply Chain Coordinator. I have extensive knowledge of reward management and in my last position at Jefferson Ltd. I helped to implement a new incentive scheme, which resulted in a 50% increase in productivity. I also have highly developed administration and interpersonal skills, which I believe would be invaluable in the role of Human Resources Coordinator. I would greatly enjoy the working environment that a company such as IFG Communications would provide. As the largest employer in the Eastgate area, with over 200 employees, I feel that the role of Human Resources Coordinator would be one that would both stimulate and challenge, and as you will see from my experience these are circumstances under which I thrive. Thank you for your time and consideration. I greatly look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely,
Rachel Winter |
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Michael Smith, Thursday 4th March 2004 Mr Simon Cresswell Dear Mr Cresswell, I am writing to enquire whether you have a vacancy in your company for a Senior Business Development Manager. I enclose a copy of my CV for your consideration. As you will see from my CV, I have 20 years experience in Business Development. In this time I have assisted Grayson UK Ltd. grow from a small UK based company to a globally competitive designer and manufacturer of high performance structured cabling connectivity and cable distribution products. I have a great deal of experience in identification of new growth opportunities as well as new legal areas for development, which have lead to an overall increase in productivity. I am keen to find a new challenge and am attracted to Aspen Initiatives as a young company with a rapidly increasing list of clients. I feel that with my experience in Business Development and Marketing I would be able to make a significant contribution to you company. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss this matter further. I will telephone you next week to see if this is appropriate. Yours sincerely,
Michael Smith T : (xxxxx) 123 456 |
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Eleanor Taylor 17th December 2003 Melanie Phillips Dear Ms Phillips, I am writing to apply for a work experience placement at Phillips and Partners Accountants. I have recently completed a joint honours degree in Business and German in which I attained a 1st. As you will see form my enclosed CV I studied modules in Personal and Business Finance as well as Business German. As a firm with number of German speaking clients, I feel that I would be able to contribute a great deal to Phillips and Partners Accountants. Last summer I did work experience in a firm of chartered accountants. In this role I learned how to conduct audits, write contracts and keep books. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to further my knowledge of accountancy within a firm that focuses on European clients. I must emphasise that I am not seeking paid employment at this stage, however any experience you can offer me will assist me to reach my ultimate goal of employment in Accountancy. I will telephone you in a few days to introduce myself further. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Yours sincerely,
Eleanor Taylor E-mail : e.taylor@domainname.co.uk |