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Covering Letters:
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 and 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 color 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.
• How does it look – is it well presented and clearly laid out?
• Is it tailored to each and every job–have you reference 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 reference 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
• 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
• A more 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).
Skills Portfolio
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.
• 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
• A more 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).
Skills Portfolio
| SPECIALIST | GENERAL BUSINESS ACT | |
|---|---|---|
| Company-specific skills Specialist knowledge, eg product or market knowledge; specialist skills, eg IT packages; unique language skills, eg Chinese; specialist interpersonal skills, eg public speaker |
Problem solving
Achiever, successful, results-orientated, project management, creative, practical, logical, astute, agile mind |
|
| Technical skills Professional, sector-based or functional skills, eg journalism, research, aerospace engineering, tax accounting, counselling, creative design, economist, personnel, sales, marketing |
IT/computer literacy IT skills, software packages, common sense, task- orientated, progressive, specific, office skills, keyboard skills Flexibility Multi-disciplinary, flexible, versatile, multi-skilled, willing, obliging, mobile, adaptable Numeracy skills Accurate, logical, problem-solver, detailed, methodical, consistent, quick thinker, analytical, thorough |
|
| Understanding commercial goals of company Specialist understanding of an organisation’s goals, priorities and future direction (combination of self-reliance, business acumen and people skills) |
Business acumen Competitive, entrepreneurial, enterprising, commercial, foresight, budgeter, risk-taker, effective written communication Commitment Dedicated, trustworthy, conscientious, reliable, loyal, punctual, knowledgeable, experienced |
|
| SELF-RELIANCE | PEOPLE | |
| Self-awareness/ confidence Purposeful, focused, reflective, perceptive, honest, self-belief, objective, realistic, balanced |
Teamworking Supportive, facilitator, organised, co-ordinator, deliverer, imaginative, delegator, open-minded |
|
| Self-promotion skills Positive, persuasive, pleasant, proactive, persistent, ambitious, opportunistic, promoter |
Leadership
Dynamic, motivator, team-builder, confidence booster, energetic, capable, outward-looking, accountable, visionary |
|
| Initiative and proactivity Resourceful, energetic, drive, flexible, self-starter, self-reliant, initiative, self-disciplined |
Interpersonal skills Listener, adviser, counsellor, politically aware, initiator, professional, co-operative, constructive, assertive |
|
| Networking skills Initiator, trustful, personable, relationship builder, persistent developer, resourceful, adaptable |
Customer orientation Welcoming, friendly, caring, approachable, constructive, accommodating, tactful, diplomatic, tolerant |
|
| Willing to learn
Motivated, adaptable, enthusiastic, active, keen learner, inquisitive, continual imsprover |
Oral communication
Educator, trainer, communicator, presenter, promoter, influencer, humorous, empathetic, telephone skills |
|
| Action planning Decision maker, planner, organised, negotiator, responsive, evaluator, forward thinker, target-driven, able to prioritise |
Foreign language
Specific language skills, cultural awareness, international experience, written and oral expertise, sensitivity |
|
Skills portfolio – further hints and tips
Using the examples on the previous page as a starting point, you could use the following further ways to develop your skills portfolio:
• Mapping out all your skills. List the positive experiences and achievements in your career to date (this will boost your confidence and help to create a broader range of positive examples)
• Consider activities beyond your normal work, eg voluntary work, community work, part-time work etc. What skills are you developing here?
• Put yourself in the shoes of three people in turn – friends, family, tutors or people you have worked with. What would their views of your skills and qualities be? Take it one step further and ask those people direct – make sure they are honest and constructive!
• Grow and revise your list again
At this stage you also need to challenge your range of skills – do you have the right balance of people, self-reliance, general and specialist skills to stay employable? Are they at the right level for the position you are in, or the position you would like to have? Get feedback on your list so far to make sure you are not underselling yourself – remember this is an important stage so get as much help as you can.
Examples of key skills and achievements
Computer literacy
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Access and Excel). Extensive experience of PowerPoint. Confident in the application of the internet for research purposes and a proficient user of e-mail.
Organisational ability
Co-ordinating the office merger of two large geographical areas. Organising conferences for office managers and senior professionals. Planned and controlled a major information gathering exercise for all domestic and commercial properties in the Borough of Knowsley. Wide experience of prioritising workloads to meet legally enforceable deadlines.
Data management
Co-ordinating written and statistical data into report format whilst scrutinising for ambiguities and inconsistencies. This required both analytical and numeracy skills, which have been further developed through current higher education study.
Communication
Written communication is excellent as proved by my degree course work. An assertive approach has been developed from an advisory role as an information co-ordinator and has been enhanced by participation in group exercises. Extensive aptitude in listening skills gained from voluntary counselling work.
Problem solving
Wide experience in dealing with complaints from the general public. A strong aptitude for using initiative especially in areas of time management to meet deadlines. Re-designed a nationally used statistical form after detecting an imbalance in the generated information
Teamwork
Operated in a team to successfully promote St Helens College in developing a campaign aimed at attracting adults into Higher Education. Directed a team of six in a fundraising exercise for the Children in Need appeal. Member of successful pub quiz team.
Examples of employment history
May 2000 – November 2000
B2b Co-ordinator Zzap.com,
Online Electrical Retailer, Liverpool
Planned and implemented many different marketing strategies, including; internet, radio, press, magazine, TV, outdoor advertising and staff affinity deals Responsible for on and offline promotions and researched various promotional/advertising opportunities including situational and SWOT analyses Developed relationships with companies to enhance sales performance Responsible for creating monthly newsletter and e-mailing them to registrants Achieved approximately 100% increase in the number of registrants on the company database and increased the general level of sales and traffic.
1992 – 1998
Relief Deputy Manager
Ladbrokes Racing Ltd, Edgware, London
Supervised 2 – 4 staff, managed shops turning over £1 – 2 million per annum Matched product offerings to local customer profiles Responsible for shop layout, window and internal board displays Trained staff in the range of products as well as security and financial systems Consistently exceeded company targets for profit performance Controlled administration, safety, security and financial systems.
1986 – 1992
Assistant Manager
D&A Castle Dry Cleaners, Tottenham, London
Organised a prompt and reliable service for customers Effective management of company finances and operation of machines and equipment Planning and implementation of promotional campaigns and loyalty schemes.
Step 3 – Making the connection
Tailoring your skills
Your CV always needs to reflect what the prospective client is looking for (Step 1). You have already prepared for producing your CV by identifying your key skills (Step 2). Now you must take a completely fresh look at yourself – as if through the eyes of your prospective employer.
This is the point where you move from an individual approach to a client-centred approach. We’ve all made statements on our CV without really considering what they mean to the client – the employer. Ask yourself:
• What are the features that really make me stand out?
• How am I going to present the evidence to really back up those statements?
• What are the benefits to the client?
You need to make the connection – refer what you have to what they want.
Provide clear evidence of these features with examples of how you have shown your proficiency.
Taking a client-centred approach
Step 4 – Turning plans into action
Producing a winning CV
You are now at the stage where you can begin to put all of the information from Steps 1 – 3 on paper. Step 4 provides an opportunity to consider case study examples. Some of these offer examples of good technique while others include examples of poor layout, design and content. These examples can be used as a guideline for compiling your CV but are in no way exhaustive – they provide suggestions only.
Using the examples on the previous page as a starting point, you could use the following further ways to develop your skills portfolio:
• Mapping out all your skills. List the positive experiences and achievements in your career to date (this will boost your confidence and help to create a broader range of positive examples)
• Consider activities beyond your normal work, eg voluntary work, community work, part-time work etc. What skills are you developing here?
• Put yourself in the shoes of three people in turn – friends, family, tutors or people you have worked with. What would their views of your skills and qualities be? Take it one step further and ask those people direct – make sure they are honest and constructive!
• Grow and revise your list again
At this stage you also need to challenge your range of skills – do you have the right balance of people, self-reliance, general and specialist skills to stay employable? Are they at the right level for the position you are in, or the position you would like to have? Get feedback on your list so far to make sure you are not underselling yourself – remember this is an important stage so get as much help as you can.
Examples of key skills and achievements
Computer literacy
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Access and Excel). Extensive experience of PowerPoint. Confident in the application of the internet for research purposes and a proficient user of e-mail.
Organisational ability
Co-ordinating the office merger of two large geographical areas. Organising conferences for office managers and senior professionals. Planned and controlled a major information gathering exercise for all domestic and commercial properties in the Borough of Knowsley. Wide experience of prioritising workloads to meet legally enforceable deadlines.
Data management
Co-ordinating written and statistical data into report format whilst scrutinising for ambiguities and inconsistencies. This required both analytical and numeracy skills, which have been further developed through current higher education study.
Communication
Written communication is excellent as proved by my degree course work. An assertive approach has been developed from an advisory role as an information co-ordinator and has been enhanced by participation in group exercises. Extensive aptitude in listening skills gained from voluntary counselling work.
Problem solving
Wide experience in dealing with complaints from the general public. A strong aptitude for using initiative especially in areas of time management to meet deadlines. Re-designed a nationally used statistical form after detecting an imbalance in the generated information
Teamwork
Operated in a team to successfully promote St Helens College in developing a campaign aimed at attracting adults into Higher Education. Directed a team of six in a fundraising exercise for the Children in Need appeal. Member of successful pub quiz team.
Examples of employment history
May 2000 – November 2000
B2b Co-ordinator Zzap.com,
Online Electrical Retailer, Liverpool
Planned and implemented many different marketing strategies, including; internet, radio, press, magazine, TV, outdoor advertising and staff affinity deals Responsible for on and offline promotions and researched various promotional/advertising opportunities including situational and SWOT analyses Developed relationships with companies to enhance sales performance Responsible for creating monthly newsletter and e-mailing them to registrants Achieved approximately 100% increase in the number of registrants on the company database and increased the general level of sales and traffic.
1992 – 1998
Relief Deputy Manager
Ladbrokes Racing Ltd, Edgware, London
Supervised 2 – 4 staff, managed shops turning over £1 – 2 million per annum Matched product offerings to local customer profiles Responsible for shop layout, window and internal board displays Trained staff in the range of products as well as security and financial systems Consistently exceeded company targets for profit performance Controlled administration, safety, security and financial systems.
1986 – 1992
Assistant Manager
D&A Castle Dry Cleaners, Tottenham, London
Organised a prompt and reliable service for customers Effective management of company finances and operation of machines and equipment Planning and implementation of promotional campaigns and loyalty schemes.
Step 3 – Making the connection
Tailoring your skills
Your CV always needs to reflect what the prospective client is looking for (Step 1). You have already prepared for producing your CV by identifying your key skills (Step 2). Now you must take a completely fresh look at yourself – as if through the eyes of your prospective employer.
This is the point where you move from an individual approach to a client-centred approach. We’ve all made statements on our CV without really considering what they mean to the client – the employer. Ask yourself:
• What are the features that really make me stand out?
• How am I going to present the evidence to really back up those statements?
• What are the benefits to the client?
You need to make the connection – refer what you have to what they want.
Provide clear evidence of these features with examples of how you have shown your proficiency.
Taking a client-centred approach
| YOU | CLIENT | |
|---|---|---|
What makes you employable (features)? |
What are the benefits to the client? |
|
| Experienced with working with a variety of people | This will indicate how you interact with colleagues and with clients. It will also give an initial indication of your proficiency in communicating and achieving a cultural fit in the organisation. | |
| Good interpersonal skills | Knowing how you will interact with others and react in different situations is crucial for an organisation particularly when they are sifting in the recruitment process. |
|
| Ability to use own initiative | Knowing that you can work independently and use your initiative in different circumstances displays a certain strength of character necessary in most jobs in today’s environment | |
| Proactive in approach | Leadership Seeking out new ways of doing things, challenging the norm, creating opportunities for improving yourself or how the organisation works can help you to stand out from the crowd and add value to your job. | |
| Good team player | Indications of how you will fit into the team at this stage are important – providing clear evidence of this on your CV is essential. Display evidence of how your team skills will complement their existing team/department. | |
| Experienced in negotiating | This displays a range of competencies – communication, assertive approach and an awareness of other people’s needs. All of which are essential skills. | |
| Excellent time management skills | Time management skill ensures a knowledge and understanding of workloads, getting projects finished on time, meeting deadlines, setting objectives and prioritising. | |
| Ability to plan and organise | Being able to plan and organise yourself and others is a key skill needed by employers. Make sure you back it up with evidence – a clear demonstration of examples where you have had to plan and organise and then brought it to a successful conclusion. | |
Step 4 – Turning plans into action
Producing a winning CV
You are now at the stage where you can begin to put all of the information from Steps 1 – 3 on paper. Step 4 provides an opportunity to consider case study examples. Some of these offer examples of good technique while others include examples of poor layout, design and content. These examples can be used as a guideline for compiling your CV but are in no way exhaustive – they provide suggestions only.
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