Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NotesonCoverLetterWriting
Astheemployermighthavemanyapplicationstoread,yourletter needstobeconciseandtothepoint.Acoverletterisnomorethan onepagelong.Fourorfiveparagraphswillbeneededhowever,to conveyyouressentialmessages(asuggestedformatisoverthe page). Ifthejobadvertisementlistsasetofselectioncriteria,preparea specificresponsetoeachoftheseonseparatepagesfromyour letter,toincludeinyourapplicationwithyourresumeandletter.For helpwithpreparingyourresponseshavealookatourinformation sheetonSelectionCriteria.
Yourcoverletterismuchmorethanacovernotewhenitisprepared wellit: Introducesyoutotheemployer Highlightsoraddstokeyinformationinyourresume Tellstheemployerwhytheyshouldconsideremployingyou,based onyourskillsandexperience Showstheemployerthatyouknowabouttheirorganisationand howyoumatchtheirrequirements Invitestheemployertoreadfurthertofindoutmore,and Convincestheemployerthatyoureworthinterviewing
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CoverLetterOutline
YournameandaddressIncludeSUBURBSinCAPITALletters Theirnameandaddress(alwaysaddressyourlettertoaspecificpersonifpossible) ThedateUselongdate,e.g.,30January2012 DearMrsFlemington (Ifname&titleareunknowncallthemtofindout,butifforsomereasonyoucantfindout,addressitto: HumanResourcesManager,orTheManagingDirector) PARAGRAPH Outlinewhatyouareapplyingfor. ONE: e.g.,Pleasefindattachedmyapplicationfor e.g.,AspartofmyBachelorofBusinessstudiesIamlookingtogainwork experience/workplacement/WILat(namethecompany). PARAGRAPH Outlinewhatyouaredoingnow,howitrelatestotheposition,andmakealink TWO: betweenthisandthechosencompany.Incorporatekeythemesfromyourresume.Include yourlatestqualificationorthedetailsofthedegreeyouarecurrentlycompleting.Mentionthe Universityandanymajorsstudiedandaprojectorinterestareaifrelevant e.g.,CurrentlyIamathirdyearsciencestudentat.. e.g.,Iaminterestedinapositionwithyourcompanybecause. PARAGRAPH Makelinksbetweenyourskillsandtheskillsthattheemployerisrequesting,andbenefitsyou THREE: bringtotheorganisation.Includereasonsforwantingthisparticularjob,andwhyyouwantto workforthem. e.g.,Iamabletoassistyourcompanybecause PARAGRAPH Makeanyotherlinkstotheposition/organisationfromyourlifeexperience. FOUR: e.g.,RecentlyIwaschosentobewhichallowedmeto e.g.,Iaminvolvedwithwhichhasdevelopedmyskills PARAGRAPH Concludebystatingwhichdocumentsyouhaveenclosed,e.g.resume,responsetoselection FIVE: criteria,statementofclaimetc.andsuggestthatyouwouldliketodiscussyourapplication furtherandcanbecontactedon e.g.,Iwouldvaluetheopportunitytodiscussthiswithyouand Yourssincerely, (Signyournamehere) MaryJones
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CoverLetterWritingTips
TIP1 Makesureyouobservebusinessletterwriting conventionslefthandjustified,openpunctuation, clear,concise,readableandofcourse,NOspelling orgrammarerrors!Thisisaformalletter,whether youknowthepersonyouarewritingtoornot,so makesureitreflectspositivelyonyouasa professional. TIP4 Makesureyoutailoreachcoverlettertothespecific organisation.Thismakesyoustandoutfromother applicationsasitindicatesthatyourjobsearchisa targetedapproach,ratherthanitseemingthatyou aresendingthesamegenericletterto50employers.
Thereslotsofinformationavailabletoassistyoutowriteacoverletter:
CheckouttheCareersandEmploymentwebsite www.careers.qut.edu.auforinformationonletters,resumesandother applicationpaperworkaswellaspersonaltransferableskills.
HavealookatAustraliansitessuchaswww.careerone.com.auand www.seek.com.auforresourcesonletterwriting.
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SpeculativeCoverLetters
Thisletterissenttoanemployeroremploymentagency,seekingconsiderationforpossibleemployment opportunities,i.e.positionswhicharenotcurrentlyadvertisedorwhichdonotcurrentlyexist.
Itisvitaltoincorporatethespeculativeapproachinyourjobsearchforthe followingreasons: Ahighpercentageofjobsarefilledintheunadvertisedjobmarket Manyemployersrelyonkeenstudentswhowritetothem,oftheirown initiative,tofillvacancies Anemployermaybeimpressedwithyourinitiative,experience,and excellentpresentationandmakeeffortstocreateapositionto accommodateyourrequest Anunexpectedjobvacancymayariseandyourapplicationisalreadyin theemployershands
ApproachestoAdopt
Personaliseyourletter: Ineveryinstancefindoutwhoyoushouldsendtheletterto.Thisensuresyouhaveafollowupcontact.
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