Cover letters

What to include

• A professional introduction
  Address your cover letter to the contact person in the job advertisement. If there is no contact person, find out who to address your application to, or address to the “Hiring manager”. Tell them what job you are applying for, and where you saw it advertised. Address the person formally. For example, if their name is Jane Smith, write ‘Dear Ms Smith’, rather than Jane.
• A personal summary
  Write 1 or 2 sentences about why you are applying for the job and a statement explaining how your skills and experience are relevant to the role. 
• How your experience matches the job
  Read the job advertisement closely. Write about how your work experience, skills and training would make you a suitable person for the position described, based on the selection criteria in the job advertisement or the position description. 
• A polite conclusion
  Sum up the letter by restating your suitability for the position due to your skills, experience and how the values or goals of the organisation are aligned with yours. Thank the employer for their time and consideration. End the letter by saying you look forward to an opportunity to discuss the job further. 
• Your name and contact details
  Make sure the employer knows how to contact you.  

How to format

• The right length
  Your cover letter should be 1 page. Employers are busy and may have many job applications to read.
• Simple design
  Make your cover letter easy to read. Use Calibri or Arial font in size 11. If you need help with the layout, here is some inspiration. Do not include images or colours.  

Additional tips

• No mistakes
  Check for spelling and grammatical mistakes before sending your letter.
• Tailored content
  Always write your cover letter specifically for each role and organisation. Avoid sending a generic cover letter to multiple organisations.