Covering Letter

A covering letter for a job is essential, as it gives the employer an idea about the person that you are and what exactly they are looking for, and by demonstrating your career interests, relevant strengths, and the qualities that you possess a professional letter can say a lot about you. A well-written covering letter can be that spark which will interest the reader and be particularly effective in selling yourself through speculative approaches.

Content

Contents of a covering letter are very important, and thus try to incorporate the following:

• A brief introduction of yourself; mention which position you are interested and are applying for and also where you saw the advert.
• If the letter is speculative, then state what kind of work you are seeking to find.
• Explain legibly why exactly you are interested in that type of work.
• Explain why you are interested in joining that particular organisation and would like to be part of it.
• Demonstrate and provide evidence of your key strengths by referring to previous work experience on your CV.
• It is essential that your key strengths reflect the requirement of the employer and what they are looking for.
• Also indicate your availability for interview.

Style

The style of the covering letter is paramount to the type of job you are applying or speculating about, therefore, ensure that you are aware of the style that is required and that the potential employer will be looking for.

• A professional business layout is essential and the letter ought to be addressed to a named individual of the organisation, if it is possible.
• Endeavour to keep the letter on one side of A4 and the same quality, thickness, font style and design of paper as your CV.
• It is critical that you check for grammar and typos or misspellings.
• Your style of writing should be formal but endeavour to keep it natural to your style and avoid unnatural and complicated words, phrases, etc.