Andrea Said:

How do I write a good cover letter?

We Answered:

A job that can change your life for the better does need a good cover letter. There are a number of important things you must include in your resume and cover letter. You can read a good advice given by this article about the specific keywords. Wish you all the best in your job search.

Hazel Said:

How do you write a good cover letter? What elements are the recruitement people likely to look for?

We Answered:

1
A CV or Application Form (AF) should never travel alone, it should always be accompanied by a
covering letter/email. A covering letter/email is a means by which you can introduce yourself and
stimulate interest.
The covering letter/email is an essential part of your application technique as many employers
place as much emphasis on the covering letter/email as they do on the CV or AF. If your covering
letter/email is not good, they may not even bother with reading your CV or AF.
General Points
Your letter or email, be it with a CV/AF or a speculative application (see below), should,
where possible, be sent to a named person. If possible ring and find out who this would be
and whilst you are on the telephone ask some relevant questions about the
company/vacancy. Always prepare before ringing and keep it short and focussed. If an
advertised vacancy does not contain a contact telephone number then it means that the
company does not want any telephone calls.
Any letter should be a maximum of one page and should match your CV. An email should
be one screen full only, so the reader doesn’t have to scroll up and down too much.
There should be no spelling or grammatical errors and it should provide a good example of
your written communication skills.
Try not to repeat in the same words what is on your CV/AF but you may wish to draw the
reader’s attention to anything that is particularly important or relevant in your background.
It needs to be lively and interesting and encourage the reader to look at your CV/AF.
Information
Covering Letters/Emails Sheet 2 Information
Sheet 2
2
Covering Letter/Email to Accompany a CV or AF
Before writing the letter/email you need to have researched the company and the position.
You need to know:
• What is special about the company or what are they known for e.g. high quality
customer service or innovative IT solutions
• What specialists skills or knowledge are required e.g. IT, languages
• What personal skills are required e.g. oral communication, team-working, project
management
Speculative Letters/Emails
These are sent, with your CV, to companies where there is no advertised vacancy. Their
purpose is to raise an employer’s awareness and for you to discover if there are any suitable
vacancies. Before compiling a speculative letter/email, it is advisable to research the
company/position requested (see above) and to assess your suitability for the sort of
vacancies that they may have on offer. You would then be able to give evidence of your
knowledge and relevant skills.
Order of Content
• Your address/contact details, the date and then the name of the recipient and the
company address
• In a letter on the line after the salutation (e.g. Dear Mr….), you should have the subject
e.g. Re: Vacancy Trainee Marketing Manager Post No E455. for an email, this will go in
the subject box.
• Your letter/email should ideally start with something positive about the company e.g.
As (name of company) has a well known reputation for …….., I would very much like to
apply for the above position as advertised (state where vacancy seen), please find
enclosed my curriculum vitae (or completed application form).
• Next paragraph(s) should then contain details of the skills/knowledge/experience you
have which are relevant to the post. You can divide this in to short sections if need
be, or you may have a brief section on your course and then a brief section on your
previous employment. Remember to keep it brief and relevant to the
company/position applied for.
• Strong closing paragraph (see examples in Careers Service or on website).
• For a letter, leave at least 5 lines for your signature and then print you name in block
capitals.
• Write ‘Enc’ below your signature at the left hand margin to indicate to whoever opens
the letter that there is an enclosure.
Covering Letters/Emails Continued
3
For the correct layout of your letter, please see the examples in the CV/Covering letters
folder in the Careers Service or see the examples on the website at
www.bournemouth.ac.uk/careers.

Frank Said:

How to write a good cover letter together with resume?

We Answered:

checked out the website and that seems like pretty thorough information. if you haven't already, you should google 'sample cover letters' and then you can read more clearly one that has been put together.

Shane Said:

How can i write a good cover letter?

We Answered:

Dear Sirs,
It is with great pleasure that I enclosed my curriculum vitae as a way to present myself to that important organisation. Please note that although I have no written experience in your area it is something that I am much interested about and ask an opportunity to prove it. Please consider that I will give my best to keep you satisfied and even bring you good surprises as a return. Thanking you in advance for you attention to this letter, I remain.
Yours very truly.

Wilma Said:

How would I write a good cover letter for a position as a veterinary assistant?

We Answered:

Highlight the qualities and skills that you have which will help you on doing the job. Be convincing that you are capable and the best person for this job.