Covering Letter Format

Covering letters

Your CV should rarely leave your desktop unless accompanied by a covering letter as they can be a major determinant of an applicant's success. Demonstrating your career interests and highlighting your most relevant strengths and experiences, a professionally set out letter can say a lot about your motivation and your attention to detail.

Well-written covering letters are also particularly effective for speculative applications outside of a recruitment cycle and for explaining any personal circumstances or anomalies in your application.

Content

The following format provides a useful overview for a letter:

Briefly introduce yourself, state what position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised. For a speculative letter, include the type of work you are seeking.

Explain why you are interested in this type of work, demonstrating an understanding of what it is likely to involve.

Explain why you are interested in working for this particular organization. Demonstrate enthusiasm and evidence of research into such aspects as their successes, involvements, values or clients.

Highlight how you are suitable for this position. Provide evidence of your key strengths by referring to experiences on your CV. Aim for your key strengths to reflect the requirements of the employer and position.

Take the opportunity, if necessary, to explain any anomalies in your experiences such as a gap or anywhere you do not match the selection criteria. Perhaps explain how any hurdles have developed you in a positive way.

Indicate availability for interview.

Style

A professional business layout is important, addressed to a named individual wherever possible. Ring the organization's switchboard to request a name if necessary. Aim for one side of A4 with the same quality paper and font style as your CV. A printed letter is the norm these days, although some recruiters may still specify a handwritten one to check out your handwriting. The same rules about checking for spelling, grammar or typos still apply and probably more so on your letter. Your writing style should be formal but try not to use words that are only really found in a thesaurus.

Tips for Creating a Winning Cover Letter

Keep it short.
The ideal cover letter is about half a page long, and never exceeds one page. A concise letter demonstrates that you are focused and have strong communication skills. Aim for two to four brief paragraphs.
State the position.
The recruiter who reads your letter may be hiring for several posts. While candidates who e-mail their resumes often include the job title in the subject line of their e-mails, if the recruiter prints a letter out before reading it, such information may be lost. Clearly state the job title in the first paragraph of the letter, preferably in the first sentence.
Explain why you want the job.
"Candidates should always answer the question 'Why do I want to do this work?'" says Unger. Ask yourself how the position fits into your overall career plans and what you find exciting about the particular sector. A genuine show of enthusiasm and knowledge will set you apart from those sending generic form letters.
Clearly describe ways you will contribute.
According to Andrew Posner, a career counselor and website consultant in San Francisco, this is the most important element of a cover letter. After carefully reading the job description, write a paragraph outlining one or two specific examples of how your skills and experiences will fit the company's needs.
Match, but don't reiterate, your resume.
This is one point many job seekers find tricky. You should never claim experience in your cover letter that isn't reflected on your resume. Doing so makes you look like a liar. At the same time, your cover letter shouldn't simply restate your resume. When you explain the ways you will contribute, refer to an experience or skill on your resume to show how you will add value to the company.
Don't say you're not qualified.
Even if you think the position is out of your reach, your job is to convince the recruiter you are qualified. If the recruiter thinks you're unqualified, a confessional letter is not going to get you an interview. Keep the letter positive by focusing on your transferable skills and unusual accomplishments.
Keep the tone and content professional.
"Don't be a comedian, don't get really personal, and don't beg for the job," says Unger. Recruiters are more likely than not to think your attempts at humor or stories about your personal life are just plain weird.
Tell the reader what you're going to do next.
Too many job seekers never follow up after sending a resume. "Saying what you're going to do next is the second-most important thing to do in your letter," says Posner. "It forces you to make a commitment to action." If the job post lists a phone number, indicate you will call within a specified time to arrange an interview. If not, consider calling anyway, unless the post specifically requests "no calls." You may also consider a follow-up e-mail if you sent your resume electronically.
Proofread.
Again. Using a spell checker is not enough. Many recruiters will dismiss even the most qualified candidate if there's one typo in the cover letter or resume. Reread your letter two or three times, then give it to someone else who knows a thing or two about good writing. Even if your letter is free of typos, poor grammar also makes a bad impression.

Who Needs a Cover Letter?

Everyone who sends out a resume does! Even if the cover letter never "came up" in conversation or wasn't mentioned in an advertisement, it's expected that you will write one. It is regarded as a sign of laziness (sorry about that) to send out a cover letter that is not tailored to the specific company. In the days before word processors, you could maybe get away with it. Not anymore. (Electra must be emphatic: Not anymore.) Yes, it adds to the wear and tear of looking for a job! But the good news is: the cover letter gives you another chance to emphasize what you have to contribute to the company or organization. Don't give the person screening the resumes a second to entertain the thought: "But how can this person help US?" Your cover letter will answer that question in your own words. Your resume will also answer that question but in a somewhat more rigid format.

What makes a Good Cover Letter?

No spelling or typing errors. Not even one.
Address it to the person who can hire you. Resumes sent to the personnel department have a tougher time of it. If you can find out (through networking and researching) exactly who is making the hiring decision, address the letter to that person. Be sure the name is spelled correctly and the title is correct. A touch of formality is good too: address the person as "Mr.," "Ms.," "Mrs.," "Miss," "Dr.," or "Professor." (Yes, life is complicated.)
Write it in your own words so that it sounds like you--not like something out of a book. (Electra gets in trouble with libraries when she says things like this.) Employers are looking for knowledge, enthusiasm, focus.
Being "natural" makes many people nervous. And then even more nervous because they are trying to avoid spelling errors and grammatical mistakes.
Show that you know something about the company and the industry. This is where your research comes in. Don't go overboard--just make it clear that you didn't pick this company out of the phone book. You know who they are, what they do and you have chosen them!
Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer. (This is where your industry research and networking come in.) If you are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and put them in BOLD type. For example: the ad says -- "2 years' experience processing magnetic media (cartridge, tape, disc); interface with benefit plan design, contracts and claims; and business background with strong analytical & technical skills--dBase, Excel, R&R, SQL."
Make sure your cover letter contains each of these requirements and shows how you measure up.