CVs and covering letters
How do I write a covering letter?
The covering letter and your CV is a total package - your opportunity to sell yourself. It is your own advertisement and you are the product being sold. Don’t waste your golden opportunity to impress. That’s why both your CV and the covering letter are so important. Remember, too, that the letter is going to be read first. If it is badly constructed, contains bad grammar or misspelt words, it will affect just how your CV will be looked at. In fact, your CV might not even be read.
A good letter, however, makes an employer sit up and take notice. Your CV will make more of an impact, too. It shows the employer that you know what the job involves and what they want from candidates. It could convince them that you are the best person for the job and just how much you want it.
Now read the step-by-step guide to writing a better letter.
- General points: the purpose of a covering letter
- The start: grab the reader's attention
- The middle: why you're the best person for the job
- Signing off: pulling it all together and arranging what's happening next
Examples of letters before and after makeover:
Covering letter makeovers
