Employment

Information for jobseekers - covering letters

Summary: Help on how to write covering letters to accompany your CV and application forms

• When should I use a covering letter?
• General tips
• Types of covering letter
• Examples of different covering letter styles:

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When should I use a covering letter?

A covering letter should always be included when you are sending out a CV or an application form. It should generate interest and motivate the employer to want to know more about you. A covering letter is even more critical if your application is speculative.

General tips

• Use the same paper as you used for your CV
• Use one side of A4 only – just three or four paragraphs at most
• State clearly what the vacancy is and how you heard of it, or if a speculative approach indicate what sort of work you are interested in
• Explain why you are interested in the job, highlighting your strengths, your understanding of the work, how well suited you are to it
• Take the opportunity to explain a gap in employment
• Be consistent in the approach you make in your letter and in your CV
• Indicate availability for interview
• Show enthusiasm, a focused and business-like approach

Types of covering letter

• Targeted - Used in response to a specific vacancy
  Speculative – Used to target a specific employer about potential vacancies

Examples of different covering letter styles:

Here you can download examples of the different covering letter styles mentioned in the previous section:

Download an example of a targeted covering letter (Word 21KB)
Download an example of a targeted covering letter (Text 2KB)

Download an example of a speculative covering letter (Word 20KB)
Download an example of a speculative covering letter (Text 2KB)

Information for jobseekers index

Content author: employmentline@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13