Covering letter tips

Your name here

123 Example street

Example Town

Example County

07123456789

your_email@address.co.uk

Dear [If you know the name of your reader, always refer to them as ‘Mr. Smith’ rather than by their first name.]

It’s a good idea to add the job title here, in bold.

The very first sentence of your cover letter should clearly state that you want to apply for the job you’ve referred to above. Often, companies have more than one vacancy, so it’s a good idea to refer to which job you’re applying for and include any reference numbers to make it easier for them.

You should then talk about your ability to do the job successfully and cover any relevant skills you have. You’ll want to appear confident and sure of yourself, but not arrogant. It’s also important to remember the main bulk of your experience and abilities should be in your CV, a cover letter needs to be short and sweet.

It’s a good idea to pick the main responsibility of the job role that the employers are looking for, and give an example of why you’d be the right person to do it. You should use any previous experience or skills you have, to back up what you’re saying.

Finally, always watch the length of your cover letter. Often, two paragraphs is long enough but you can stretch it to one or two more if they’re very short.

Yours sincerely/ faithfully [If you know the name of the person you’re applying to, use ‘sincerely’,

if not put ‘faithfully’]

Your name here.