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Covering letters are often underestimated as a key selling tool when applying for a job. They are, however, just as
important as your CV and provide a further opportunity for you to sell yourself and reinforce your evidence by creating
a favourable impression.
Guidelines for covering letters:
• Only use A4 paper – anything else looks unprofessional • Use the form of address stated in the advert, eg Miss/Mrs. If the advert asks you to reply to Susan Jones or Alan
Smith, start your letter ‘Dear Susan’ or ‘Dear Alan …’ and address the envelope ‘Susan Jones’ or ‘Alan Smith’. If
you don’t know the status of a woman, then you can use ‘Ms’. If the advert asks you to reply to Mrs or Miss Jones,
do not address her as Ms.
• Always type/word process a covering letter unless specifically asked for hand-written
•Type or write on one side only – business letters never use the reverse of page
• If you must handwrite, then make certain that your writing is legible and in straight lines
• Beg or borrow some thick, good quality paper. Paper weight should be 90 – 100 gm. Most photocopier paper (eg
this handout) is too thin at 80 gm. Students’ union shops usually sell good quality paper in small amounts
• Pick out of the job advertisement any key requirements and give evidence in your letter as to how you have obtained these
• Mention two or three transferable skills that you have, say why they will benefit the employer and how you
developed them
•Tell the employer what contribution you can make to the team/role/department/ company
• Sound positive – you should aim to get the employer interested enough to want to meet you
• Keep the letter to one side of A4 only
•You can repeat information which is in your CV – it serves to emphasise your point but keep it concise
• Consider cross-referencing your letter to relevant detail in your CV
• Give some thought to the spacing of your letter – how it looks. Do not leave large areas of white space or squeeze
up the last few lines
• Use business-sized envelopes in white or a colou to match your paper
• The correct way to write an address on an envelope is to start halfway down and one third of the way across
• Use first-class mail
• If you do not use a postcode, your letter will need to have the code manually put onto your envelope (a series of tiny
dots which is processed in the sorting office by an optical reader) and it is almost certain that the letter will be delayed
important as your CV and provide a further opportunity for you to sell yourself and reinforce your evidence by creating
a favourable impression.
Guidelines for covering letters:
• Only use A4 paper – anything else looks unprofessional • Use the form of address stated in the advert, eg Miss/Mrs. If the advert asks you to reply to Susan Jones or Alan
Smith, start your letter ‘Dear Susan’ or ‘Dear Alan …’ and address the envelope ‘Susan Jones’ or ‘Alan Smith’. If
you don’t know the status of a woman, then you can use ‘Ms’. If the advert asks you to reply to Mrs or Miss Jones,
do not address her as Ms.
• Always type/word process a covering letter unless specifically asked for hand-written
•Type or write on one side only – business letters never use the reverse of page
• If you must handwrite, then make certain that your writing is legible and in straight lines
• Beg or borrow some thick, good quality paper. Paper weight should be 90 – 100 gm. Most photocopier paper (eg
this handout) is too thin at 80 gm. Students’ union shops usually sell good quality paper in small amounts
• Pick out of the job advertisement any key requirements and give evidence in your letter as to how you have obtained these
• Mention two or three transferable skills that you have, say why they will benefit the employer and how you
developed them
•Tell the employer what contribution you can make to the team/role/department/ company
• Sound positive – you should aim to get the employer interested enough to want to meet you
• Keep the letter to one side of A4 only
•You can repeat information which is in your CV – it serves to emphasise your point but keep it concise
• Consider cross-referencing your letter to relevant detail in your CV
• Give some thought to the spacing of your letter – how it looks. Do not leave large areas of white space or squeeze
up the last few lines
• Use business-sized envelopes in white or a colou to match your paper
• The correct way to write an address on an envelope is to start halfway down and one third of the way across
• Use first-class mail
• If you do not use a postcode, your letter will need to have the code manually put onto your envelope (a series of tiny
dots which is processed in the sorting office by an optical reader) and it is almost certain that the letter will be delayed
Example of a covering letter
Contact address
Date
position and have enclosed my CV for your perusal.
After reading your advert, visiting your website and carrying out research on your organisation, I believe that there are a
number of areas in which my skills and experience may be of benefit to you. Achievements of particular relevance include:
• Designing a training needs analysis to be used in a local Merseyside company (180 staff). Focus groups
involvement will be incorporated before the final report is created
• Currently managing a pilot project run jointly with MTEC, which is focused on putting graduates into IiP-related
placements. This involves working with companies, IiP advisers and graduates
• Responsible for driving my company forward in order to achieve IiP accreditation
• Carrying out company visits and delivering presentations to clients on the products and services that the unit has to offer.
This aspect of my role is currently increasing
• Interviewing every candidate that joins the recruitment service and dealing with companies to match their
requirements. I am responsible for the whole recruitment process from following up the initial lead, matching CVs, organising interviews to giving feedback to candidates All of my experience within my present organisation has required great flexibility as I am working on a number of projects at any one time. I have developed excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate and encourage people,
especially when working with unemployed individuals through this experience.
I would be happy to discuss the Training and Development Co-ordinator position further and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Sally Pearson
Training & Development Officer
Enc
Stage Five – Review and improvement - Gaining feedback By Step 5 you should now have an updated CV – however, the hard work doesn’t stop here. Remember that your CV is a working resource to be used as part of the career management process. It does not remain static so you may also want to revisit some of the different stages and continue to improve your CV as time goes on. For example you may want to seek feedback from colleagues, friends etc on how your CV looks now – has it improved, is it different and in what ways? Remember, your CV is a means to an end……..not the end itself.
Final checklist – before you send out your CV
• How does it look – is it well presented and clearly laid out?
•Is it tailored to each and every job – have you referenced it to the original advert and person/job specification? Steps 1 + 3
•Are your skills and competencies set out and evidenced – if not refer back to Step 2?
• Is it on good quality paper without spelling or grammatical mistakes?
• Do your unique selling points stand out? Ensure they are not lost in detail
• Is it prioritised to bring the most relevant information to the front?
• Have you used action words to strengthen your skills?
• Does your covering letter complement your CV?
• Have you acted on feedback?
• Remember to keep your CV up to date to boost your chances of success
Contact address
Date
Dear
With reference to your advert for a Training and Development Co-ordinator, I would like to confirm my interest in theposition and have enclosed my CV for your perusal.
After reading your advert, visiting your website and carrying out research on your organisation, I believe that there are a
number of areas in which my skills and experience may be of benefit to you. Achievements of particular relevance include:
• Designing a training needs analysis to be used in a local Merseyside company (180 staff). Focus groups
involvement will be incorporated before the final report is created
• Currently managing a pilot project run jointly with MTEC, which is focused on putting graduates into IiP-related
placements. This involves working with companies, IiP advisers and graduates
• Responsible for driving my company forward in order to achieve IiP accreditation
• Carrying out company visits and delivering presentations to clients on the products and services that the unit has to offer.
This aspect of my role is currently increasing
• Interviewing every candidate that joins the recruitment service and dealing with companies to match their
requirements. I am responsible for the whole recruitment process from following up the initial lead, matching CVs, organising interviews to giving feedback to candidates All of my experience within my present organisation has required great flexibility as I am working on a number of projects at any one time. I have developed excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate and encourage people,
especially when working with unemployed individuals through this experience.
I would be happy to discuss the Training and Development Co-ordinator position further and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Sally Pearson
Training & Development Officer
Enc
Stage Five – Review and improvement - Gaining feedback By Step 5 you should now have an updated CV – however, the hard work doesn’t stop here. Remember that your CV is a working resource to be used as part of the career management process. It does not remain static so you may also want to revisit some of the different stages and continue to improve your CV as time goes on. For example you may want to seek feedback from colleagues, friends etc on how your CV looks now – has it improved, is it different and in what ways? Remember, your CV is a means to an end……..not the end itself.
Final checklist – before you send out your CV
• How does it look – is it well presented and clearly laid out?
•Is it tailored to each and every job – have you referenced it to the original advert and person/job specification? Steps 1 + 3
•Are your skills and competencies set out and evidenced – if not refer back to Step 2?
• Is it on good quality paper without spelling or grammatical mistakes?
• Do your unique selling points stand out? Ensure they are not lost in detail
• Is it prioritised to bring the most relevant information to the front?
• Have you used action words to strengthen your skills?
• Does your covering letter complement your CV?
• Have you acted on feedback?
• Remember to keep your CV up to date to boost your chances of success
Creating a winning CV
When producing a CV, many people:
• Fail to identify what the client (ie the employer) is looking for
*Undersell and underestimate what they have to offer
• Fail to provide the right evidence to support the skills and competencies
• See rejection as negative and fail to ask for constructive feedback
We have all made some of these mistakes in producing a CV but the CV in itself is not the only solution, it is a means to an end.
There are a number of steps you can take to help you create that winning CV:
Step 1 – Identify your client’s needs
Considering your employer as a client ensures that you take a good look at the production of your CV from their perspective.
The following guidelines show the practical steps that will ensure you are well prepared. Remember the more you put in, the more you get out.
As you can see there is plenty of preparation work to do in this step – even before starting your CV. However, the time you
spend now will increase your chances of success later. You will soon see the benefits and this will help to make you stand
out from other candidates.
Speaking to someone in a similar role or organisation gives invaluable advantages. It provides
• Unique information on what exactly is required
• Evidence that you are proactive and motivated by finding out more
•Amore personalised, customised approach to your covering letter
Remember, working hard on this step will reap rewards not only with your job search but also in preparation for the interview.
Step 2 – Knowing what you have to offer
Knowing what you have to offer and selling this on paper is a crucial step in producing your CV.
In step 1 you researched further and identified what your client/employer was looking for. Now you can start to identify what you have to offer by assessing your skills and qualities.
Skills that employers are looking for can be categorised into four areas:
1 Specialist skills
2 General business skills
3 Self-reliance skills
4 People skills You now need to look at your skills and split them into these four areas.
You now need to look at your skills and split them into these four areas.
The chief way to sell yourself on paper is your CV. However there is no such thing as a perfect CV. Its chances of success or failure depend
entirely on how far it meets the criteria, background and bias of the person reading it.
When producing a CV, many people:
• Fail to identify what the client (ie the employer) is looking for
*Undersell and underestimate what they have to offer
• Fail to provide the right evidence to support the skills and competencies
• See rejection as negative and fail to ask for constructive feedback
We have all made some of these mistakes in producing a CV but the CV in itself is not the only solution, it is a means to an end.
There are a number of steps you can take to help you create that winning CV:
Step 1 – Identify your client’s needs
Considering your employer as a client ensures that you take a good look at the production of your CV from their perspective.
The following guidelines show the practical steps that will ensure you are well prepared. Remember the more you put in, the more you get out.
| READ | THINK | ACT |
|---|---|---|
| The job advert and specification thoroughly so that you know exactly what it is they are looking for |
Think about the range of skills and competencies that are required – then consider how you can tailor your experience and skills to meet those requirements |
Write a clear list of your skills, qualities and experience that are essential for the position – can you back them up with evidence? – create a skills portfolio |
| Read any company literature or publicity material associated with the role. Refer to the website of the original job advertisement | Think about the type of language that is used in the literature. What does it tell you about the company/type of person they are looking for? | Refer to your skills portfolio – is the language the same? Is it positive and active? Do you need to update the way in which you describe yourself and your experiences/skills? |
| Read your current CV. Are you happy with it? Does it fully reflect you as a person and the skills you have to offer? |
Think about ways in which it can be improved. Think about your current skills portfolio – are there ways to increase your chances of success? |
Perform a thorough review of your current CV against your skills and those required by the position. Also, seek feedback on your current CV from colleagues, specialists and career experts> |
| Read any professional journals, newspapers or current articles related to your field and the position you are going for |
– consider what employers are looking for within that field – are there any new qualifications/standards? – is it within a growth market? – are there any new developments which would require different skills and attributes? | Again refer back to your current CV with this in mind. Also, try to identify anyone who works in a similar role /organisation and contact them to discuss the job opportunity (plan what you need to know before contacting them) |
| Read a good book on how to write and design a CV (sometimes a completely different perspective can provide food for thought) |
Think about the examples used within the book. Use it for ideas on: – layout – design – content – style |
Ask other people for copies of their current CV. The more examples you have the better. However remember this is going to be your personal CV – make sure it is a reflection of you. Remember also that you can learn form examples of ‘how not to do it’ as well (see examples of CVs in this document) |
As you can see there is plenty of preparation work to do in this step – even before starting your CV. However, the time you
spend now will increase your chances of success later. You will soon see the benefits and this will help to make you stand
out from other candidates.
Speaking to someone in a similar role or organisation gives invaluable advantages. It provides
• Unique information on what exactly is required
• Evidence that you are proactive and motivated by finding out more
•Amore personalised, customised approach to your covering letter
Remember, working hard on this step will reap rewards not only with your job search but also in preparation for the interview.
Step 2 – Knowing what you have to offer
Knowing what you have to offer and selling this on paper is a crucial step in producing your CV.
In step 1 you researched further and identified what your client/employer was looking for. Now you can start to identify what you have to offer by assessing your skills and qualities.
Skills that employers are looking for can be categorised into four areas:
1 Specialist skills
2 General business skills
3 Self-reliance skills
4 People skills You now need to look at your skills and split them into these four areas.
You now need to look at your skills and split them into these four areas.
- Example for a Poor CV
- Example for a Good CV
- Structuring your CV
- Developing the Structure
- Making a Success of Interviews
- Interview - Your Next Move
Completion
Timesheets for Nationwide temporary workers – these are found on e-timesheet system, details of which are issued at the commencement of your assignment. All e-timesheets must be completed and submitted by 11am on the Monday.
Manual timesheets – these will be sent to the employee via e-mail and must be completed by hand and arrive in the Field Recruitment office by 11 am on the Monday.
Please ensure you correctly complete your timesheet to avoid delay in receiving your pay.
Submission Prompt weekly submission of your fully completed timesheet will ensure you are paid on time. Nationwide Employees – once total hours for week completed you will need to submit your electronic timesheet on the e-timesheet site. Once submitted you receive e-mail confirming that it has been authorised, if you do not receive this by Tuesday you need to chase this up with you Line Manager. If hourly rate is in-correct you will need to contact your supervisor to get this corrected.
Manual Timesheet Employees – once total hours for week completed you will need to get your paper timesheet authorised by your manager. The timesheet must then be sent to your consultant at Field by 11am on the Monday. Failure to submit a fully completed timesheet by this deadline may result in a delay in payment.
Timesheets for Nationwide temporary workers – these are found on e-timesheet system, details of which are issued at the commencement of your assignment. All e-timesheets must be completed and submitted by 11am on the Monday.
Manual timesheets – these will be sent to the employee via e-mail and must be completed by hand and arrive in the Field Recruitment office by 11 am on the Monday.
Please ensure you correctly complete your timesheet to avoid delay in receiving your pay.
Submission Prompt weekly submission of your fully completed timesheet will ensure you are paid on time. Nationwide Employees – once total hours for week completed you will need to submit your electronic timesheet on the e-timesheet site. Once submitted you receive e-mail confirming that it has been authorised, if you do not receive this by Tuesday you need to chase this up with you Line Manager. If hourly rate is in-correct you will need to contact your supervisor to get this corrected.
Manual Timesheet Employees – once total hours for week completed you will need to get your paper timesheet authorised by your manager. The timesheet must then be sent to your consultant at Field by 11am on the Monday. Failure to submit a fully completed timesheet by this deadline may result in a delay in payment.
Understanding your payslip
Your payslip is split into two separate parts Payments & Deductions
Payments – this shows standard hours & pay rate, overtime & pay rate and holiday pay (this is shown as units of half day under time column & daily rate under rate column). The Gross pay will show all payments made. Deductions – this shows the national insurance deducted, the tax deducted & deduction which is recovery of any cheque payment made previously. The Net due is the payment that will be paid into your bank.
Method of payment Payments are made into your chosen bank on the Friday after submitting of timesheets via the BACS system. If you want to change your chosen bank or account you need to submit the new details in writing by midday on the Monday for payment the following Friday. If you wish to check that payment has been made you will need to contact your bank direct. Please note that checking your balance via the ATM may not show that days balance as some bank do not update the ATM balance until after close of business.
Holiday Pay
The current annual holiday allowance is 28 days, this is accrued at 0.54 days per week worked & your holiday year runs from your start date for one year. Please note as per your terms of engagement that holiday can not be carried over into your new holiday year.
How is it calculated?
The daily rate for holiday is calculated as an average of the previous 12 weeks pay.
i.e. if you worked 35 hours for the previous 12 weeks and had completed 10 hours overtime in that period it would calculate your daily rate as below:
35 x 12 + 15(10 hours overtime @ 1.5 rate) = 435 hours
435 / 60 (number of working days in the 12 week period) = 7.25 hours
Please note all holiday is based on full time hours and a 5 day week. If you do not work full time your holiday pay is pro rated.
Your payslip is split into two separate parts Payments & Deductions
Payments – this shows standard hours & pay rate, overtime & pay rate and holiday pay (this is shown as units of half day under time column & daily rate under rate column). The Gross pay will show all payments made. Deductions – this shows the national insurance deducted, the tax deducted & deduction which is recovery of any cheque payment made previously. The Net due is the payment that will be paid into your bank.
Method of payment Payments are made into your chosen bank on the Friday after submitting of timesheets via the BACS system. If you want to change your chosen bank or account you need to submit the new details in writing by midday on the Monday for payment the following Friday. If you wish to check that payment has been made you will need to contact your bank direct. Please note that checking your balance via the ATM may not show that days balance as some bank do not update the ATM balance until after close of business.
Holiday Pay
The current annual holiday allowance is 28 days, this is accrued at 0.54 days per week worked & your holiday year runs from your start date for one year. Please note as per your terms of engagement that holiday can not be carried over into your new holiday year.
How is it calculated?
The daily rate for holiday is calculated as an average of the previous 12 weeks pay.
i.e. if you worked 35 hours for the previous 12 weeks and had completed 10 hours overtime in that period it would calculate your daily rate as below:
35 x 12 + 15(10 hours overtime @ 1.5 rate) = 435 hours
435 / 60 (number of working days in the 12 week period) = 7.25 hours
Please note all holiday is based on full time hours and a 5 day week. If you do not work full time your holiday pay is pro rated.
Do you have a P45?
- YES: you need to send this into the Field Recruitment office as failure will result in you paying tax on all your pay.
- NO: You must complete a P46 which can be obtained from your Consultant at Field. You will need to complete the form with full name, address, date of birth, NI number & put a cross in the relevant box under “your present circumstances” on form. You also need to put a cross in the student loan box if you have an outstanding student loan. You then need to sign & date the P46 and hand it in to your Consultant.
- NO: You are a student in full time education & only work in the holidays. You need to fill in a P38 which can be obtained from your Consultant.
Once received the information will be used to put you on a tax code dependent on the information & the form is then passed to the Inland Revenue to confirm what is your correct Tax Code. This can take between 2-12 weeks for the Inland Revenue to confirm. The employee will receive notice of their code via a P2 form & we will receive a P6 to confirm. We are unable to use the P2 form to change your details.
Failure to submit a valid tax form or submission of an incomplete tax form will result in your pay being taxed at base rate until rectified.
Useful Information
Tax Office details:
HM Revenue & Customs
Glos/ North Wilts
Southgate House
Southgate Street
Gloucester
GL1 1DL
Tel: 0845 3667840
Website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/index.htm
PAYE ref:
214/KZ82973
Tax Codes for tax year 2009/10:
- 647L – standard
- W1647L – this code will give you standard amount of free pay but will not allow any rebate.
- BR – this code will tax on all gross pay at 20%
- NI – this code is for students who work only in the holidays while in full time education.
National Insurance
If you do not have your NI number you should contact your local Department of Work and Pensions on tel: 01793 489600
If you are exempt or pay reduced rate NI you need to supply the card/ letter supplied by the DWP. This will be kept by us while in our employ & returned on leaving.
If you earn between £95 and £110 per week, no deduction is made but for benefit purposes you are considered to have made contributions. If you earn between £110 and £770 per week your NI contribution is taken at 11% of your gross pay. If you earn over £770 per week any earnings from £770 are liable to contributions of 1%.
Tax Codes
The free pay allowance per year can be work out by looking at you tax code.
i.e. if you have a code 647L the free pay allowance = £6470
This is given in 52 equal payments; you can see on your payslip that it states your total allowance due for that tax week.
i.e. based on code of 647L
Tax Week 1 – Free Pay of £124.61
Tax Week 18 – Free Pay of £2242.98
Tax Week 52 – Free Pay of £6470.00
If you have tax code BR you are taxed without a free pay allowance and at 20% rate for all earnings.
Statutory Payments
SSP
To claim SSP you need to provide a sick note. You are able to self cert for the first week and you will need to get a doctors or hospital sick note for any period after.
To qualify you need to have been earning over £95 per week.
SMP
To be eligible for SMP you must meet the following
- worked for us continuously - full or part-time - for at least 26 weeks up to and into the 15th week before the week the baby's due
- average earnings at least equal to the lower earnings limit for NICs - £95 a week
- supplied the MATB1 form which will be supplied by midwife in the 20th week of pregnancy.
- given written confirmation of planned date of start of maternity leave at least 4 weeks before start.
Please note this request is only to be completed and submitted by the worker.
This form should only be completed if you are no longer working through Field Recruitment and you have submitted your last timesheet.
Do not complete this form if you have continuing assignments with Field Recruitment.
This form should only be completed if you are no longer working through Field Recruitment and you have submitted your last timesheet.
Do not complete this form if you have continuing assignments with Field Recruitment.
Your Name
Your Reference No.
Your Date of birth
Your NI Number
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Address Line 3
Home email address
Last date of working
Last office worked at
-
Yes - the information submitted is different.
Please confirm that you are the worker, you have finished working for Field Recruitment and you are requesting your P45 and outstanding holiday pay (please tick)
- Yes - the information submitted is correct.
I understand that any remaining holiday entitlement will be paid to me the week following the week in which my last timesheet was processed.
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