Your guide to covering letters

The main function of your covering letter is to attract and maintain the recruiter’s attention by instantly emphasising your interest and suitability for the job. It is important to bear in mind that a covering letter is a communication between yourself and an organisation, so the perfect covering letter needs to work at every stage of its hierarchy.

Your covering letter is the first thing that an employer will read. It should therefore:
- Act as an introduction to your cv or application form
- Introduce yourself and specify the position you are applying for (including any reference codes), or if writing speculatively, the kind of work you are looking for)
- Explain why you are interested in the position
- Highlight qualifications, skills and experience detailed on your cv which emphasise your suitability for the vacancy in question
- Be clear, concise and to the point
- Be targeted at the company
- Finish positively, indicating your availability for interview.

Tips
- Never post an application to an employer without including a covering letter.
- Always send a typed application unless otherwise stated.
- Try to send the letter to a named person.
- If you are responding to an advertisement, make sure that your letter covers all the points raised in it. Try to demonstrate that you have thought hard about the job, have the relevant skills and would enjoy working for them.
- Your letter should not be more than one page of A4.
- Use good quality paper.

Key points to include
- A statement of where you are coming from is useful: ‘I’m a student in the history department at York University and I will graduate next summer’.
- Details of how you found out about the firm: ‘I wish to apply for the position of ... as advertised in..., or ‘I am responding to your advertisement on our departmental notice board for a…’.
- A statement that demonstrates your interest. ‘When I graduate, I am keen to work in…’.
- An example of what you have to offer: ‘I have worked regularly at the….on a part-time basis for the last two years. This has provided me with an opportunity to develop my customer care skills…’.

Don’t forget that your covering letter should form a single package with your cv or application form. Rather than simply duplicating information, your covering letter should complement your cv.