How to write a good covering letter in English
By Kate Grady
EuroLogos.com
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CV The job market today is becoming more and more
demanding. A good CV with good qualifications is no longer
enough to impress an employer. The covering letter is a vital
part of your application. Here, the employer can tell straight
away from the presentation and style of writing whether the
candidate will be suitable for the job. The covering letter
is the perfect opportunity to make your application stand
out from the many that employers receive on a daily basis.
Be original!
Nowadays, many books have been published on how to write a
covering letter. Most of these books also include examples
of covering letters with standard phrases to use. These books
can be very useful and it is worth having a quick look at
them if you are running out of ideas but make sure that you
do not copy out word for word what is in these books. Just
use them as an inspiration for what you are going to write.
Employers are looking for originality. Therefore, try and
invent your own sentences. Just don't forget to keep to the
formal register!
How to present your letter?
Your address should be on the top right-hand side of the paper
with the date underneath. The employers address should be
written just below on the left-hand side. Before starting
the letter, write in bold-type your reason for writing (for
example re: application for a job as PR.) This makes
it clear from the start why you are writing. The employer
wants to know straight away if it is worth reading the letter
or not.
How to start?
Address the person to whom you are writing in a formal way.
Try to find out the name of the person in charge of job applications
in the company (the best thing to do is to phone and ask).
It shows that you have made an effort and are interested in
the company. If you do not know, then always start with: "Dear
Sir or Madam,"
What to write ?
In your letter, you should start by stating how you found
out about the job offer (newspaper, job centre etc). You should
then introduce yourself and emphasise the strong points that
you think are worth mentioning and that are relevant to the
job for which you are applying. Finally, you have got to explain
the reasons why you want the job and why you
think that you are the suitable person. These last two points
are probably the hardest to present but unfortunately this
is the most vital part of your letter. English employers are
more concerned about what you could contribute to the company.
How to conclude?
After having written how wonderful you are, you should finish
the letter by mentioning what is enclosed in the letter (
I enclose my CV etc). A good way to end your letter is to
say that you are willing to provide the employer with any
information he/she might require. Always end the letter with
a formal conclusion such as "Yours faithfully".
Finally, one last tip, always make a copy of your CV and
covering letter. Indeed, if you are invited for an interview,
your employer might refer to some of the points that you mentioned
about yourself. It is always helpful to remember what you
wrote!
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