A covering letter isn't just a piece of paper in which you wrap your CV: it's the first stage in your marketing assault on the jobs market. Like it or not, you're a commodity, and if you can't sell yourself, you won't be much use to an employer competing in the marketplace.
You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. The recipient of your letter will read it and form judgments about your personality and your suitability for the job. Use it as a chance to highlight your strengths and any experience that is relevant to the job. Pick out points from your CV and elaborate on them.
It may sound like common sense, but it's amazing how many candidates get it wrong. Shelley, a human resources officer at a TV company, has seen more than her fair share of howlers. "The best – or worst – example I can think of is the applicant who sent a letter which just said 'Gis a job!'" she recalls. "Needless to say, I didn't. Then there was the letter that sounded brilliant and original – until I realised that I'd read it before, on the internet. The candidate had plagiarised it, word for word."
Bad covering letters come in all forms – from the embarrassing to the dull. "I've lost track of the number of letters which just say 'Please consider me for the job as 'x'. I enclose my CV'," says Shelley. "The applicant hasn't put any effort in – so however good their CV is, it'll probably just end up in the bin, unread. Another bugbear is the standard letter: it's always obvious when the candidate has just changed the name and job details and it doesn't give you much confidence in their enthusiasm for the job."
Some candidates let themselves down with messy handwriting or poor spelling. "Getting the recipient's name wrong is never a good start," says Shelley. "And neither is getting your facts mixed up. Don't say you saw the advertisement in the Guardian when it was actually in a trade magazine. If you're unsure about anything, check it."
Before you put pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard – you should bear in mind "the three Cs". Organisations prefer conciseness and clarity over comprehensiveness.
Use just one side of A4, with no more than four paragraphs on it. Structure your letter in three parts: the first sets the scene and explains why you are writing, the second provides supporting evidence or information about you and is your chance to show what sets you apart from other candidates.
Always accentuate the positive. For example, if you didn't get a class of degree that reflected your ability, highlight the amount of time you spent on student activities. The third part is for 'next steps', such as 'I look forward to hearing from you'.
When you've finished your letter, read it carefully. Have you got your main points across? Do you sound like a good, interesting candidate? Then show it to someone else for comments, such as a careers adviser.
And always keep a copy of your letter, so you don't get caught out at interview.
Want to know what Shelley considers the best covering letter she's ever received? "It was from a guy applying for a copywriting job," she recalls. "He wrote a story all about a man who had a hamster called Shelley. He was so sad that the hamster had died that when he saw my name, he felt he just had to apply to me. Of course that was just the beginning and the end of the letter – in the middle he sold himself very well. I thought it was brilliant. And I still remember it, three years on."
This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook.
