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Demonstrating your career interests and highlighting your most relevant strengths and experiences, a professionally set out letter can say a lot about your motivation and your attention to detail.
Well-written covering letters are also particularly effective for speculative applications outside of a recruitment cycle and for explaining any personal circumstances or anomalies in your application. |
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| Content |
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| The following format provides a useful overview for a letter: |
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| Briefly introduce yourself, state what position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised. For a speculative letter, include the type of work you are seeking. |
| Explain why you are interested in this type of work. |
| Explain why you are interested in working for this particular organisation |
| Provide evidence of your key strengths by referring to experiences on your CV. Aim for your key strengths to reflect the requirements of the employer and position. |
| Take the opportunity, if necessary, to explain any anomalies in your experiences such as a gap or anywhere you do not match the selection criteria. |
| Indicate availability for interview. |
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| Style |
| A professional business layout is important, addressed to a named individual wherever possible. |
| Aim for one side of A4 with the same quality paper and font style as your CV. |
| The same rules about checking for spelling, grammar or typos still apply. |
| Your writing style should be formal but try not to use words that are only really found in a Thesaurus. |
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