Cover Letters

1. Cover Letters General Guidelines Handwritten or word-processed? Some recruiters state a preference (most employers tend to prefer it word-processed). If they don't say, it's up to you – there is no rule. If your writing is hard to read, use a computer! If you handwrite, write neatly and legibly. Either way, use good quality A4 paper.

2. Cover Letters 2. Length? If a current or recent graduate, and the letter is word-processed, the text of the letter shouldn't fill more than two thirds of the page. 3. It's a business letter. Put your address and the date top right, the recipient's name, the company's name and their address top left.

3. Cover Letters 4. Write to a named person, never to “Dear Sir or Madam”. Not to be done in this day and age!!! If you don't know the relevant person's name, phone the company and ask (receptionists are quite used to this). If you can't do that, then use their job title. 'Dear Graduate Recruitment Manager' is much more welcome than Dear Sir, especially if they're female. Possible resources at Careers Service: employer's brochure; ad on vacancy list; entry in employer sector guide; commercial employer directories.

4. Cover Letters 5. Be concise. Your reader wants to absorb as much relevant information in as short a time as possible. 6. Say why you are writing. In response to a job ad? To ask if they might have a job (not advertised)? To ask for a meeting to get advice/information?

5. Cover Letters 7. Be sure it's clear from the letter or CV exactly when and where you can be contacted. No use giving 'term address' without dates when you'll be there. Give phone numbers (and fax, if available) for all your addresses, even if only messages can be left (in which case say so). Give your email address.

6. Cover Letters 8. If applying for an advertised job/placement (a) Say whatjob you're applying for and where you saw it advertised.(b) Say why you want that job or type of job; and why with that company or type of company. Especially if changing direction (second or later job), explain your rationale (what has led you apply to them?) and plans (how working with them fits your interests/intentions)(c) With reference to evidence in the CV, show that you correspond to the requirements for the job. Make a limited number (say, three) of telling points; don’t repeat the whole CV.

7. Cover Letters 9. If applying speculatively. Refer briefly to your current situation ('Having just graduated from Maynooth in Science', 'I am currently in my second year of a degree in Computer Science at TCD'). (b) Be clear about which job(s) you are interested in. Take advice on whether to imply that you'd be willing to do anything; it usually pays to show you have a definite path in view, but are willing to be flexible. (c) As for 8(b) & (c) (d) Say you are willing to work temporarily, part-time, freelance or short-term as a volunteer, as appropriate to the job market in which you're applying (take advice).

8. Cover Letters 10. Sign off. 'Yours sincerely' with your name typed underneath your signature!

9. Cover Letters – Quick Do’s… DO.... Say what job you’re applying for Say where you saw it advertised Say what you’re enclosing Mention extra research or contact that has led you to want to apply: – meeting one of them at presentation/Careers Fair/visit (name names) – good reports of them: be specific: from friend in previous year, friend’s parent, article surveying field in professional press, careers adviser

10. Cover Letters – Quick Don’ts… DON’T.... write to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ write illegibly start every sentence with ‘I...’ recite the brochure back at them tell them what the job is (‘in today’s global arena, marketing offers an unrivalled opportunity to challenge established concepts ...’) use a long word where a short one will do!!!

11. Cover Letters – Quick Don’ts… DON’T.... use jargon (except the job title!) use long sentences; a semi-colon is hardly ever necessary (as in this sentence, which would be easier to take in if it were broken into 3 sentences) write in dense paragraphs (more than 8 lines is off-putting) use generalisations (‘I am applying to you because of your global reputation’ [what for, what as?])

12. Cover Letters – Quick Don’ts… DON’T.... make claims unsupported by evidence (‘I wish to succeed in everything I do’, ‘I am a good team-player’) misspell mistype depend on your spellchecker (won’t pick up e.g. ‘than’ for ‘that’, or ‘then’ for ‘than’!!!) Keep it to yourself! Show the letter to as many people as possible!!!

13. Cover Letters – An Example

14. Cover Letters – An Example

15. Cover Letters – An Example

16. Interviews Knowing as much as possible about the company can make your interview more interactive. It could be just what’s needed to get ahead in a competitive job market! Research should always be the first step. Gathering background information on employers is a crucial element in successful interview preparation. Be prepared to answer the questions "What do your know about our company?” And "Why do you want to work here?"

17. Interviews Know as much as possible about the company's past performance and future plans. Before the interview review the company's web site and don't be afraid to contact your prospective employer to request details on the position you are interviewing for or to ask for company literature.

18. Interviews Next, practice answering typical interview questions to be prepared and comfortable during the actual interview. Practice with a friend and record or videotape responses so the interview can be replayed. Prepare answers to commonly asked interview questions. Doing so will help to analyse your perception of your background and qualifications for the position.

19. Interviews Behaviour based interviewing is becoming more common. It is based on the premise that a candidates past performance is the best indicator of future performance! Rather than the typical interview questions on background and experience, the interviewee will need to be prepared to provide detailed responses including specific examples of work experience. The best way to prepare is to think of examples where skills acquired have been used successfully.

20. Interviews Take the time to compile a list of responses to both types of questions and to itemise skills, values and interests as well as strengths and weaknesses. Emphasise what you can do to benefit the company rather than just what you are interested in. Also prepare a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer. Always view an interview as an assessment of whether this company and the position are a good fit for you!

21. Interviews Make sure you know where you're going and give yourself plenty of time so you can arrive ahead of schedule. On time means ten to fifteen minutes early! If need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going. Know the interviewer's name and use it during the interview. If your not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the interview. Remember to bring an extra copy of your CV.

22. Interviews During the interview try to remain as calm as possible. Ask for clarification if you're not sure what's been asked and remember that it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to frame your responses so you can be sure to fully answer the question. Remember, the most overlooked professional phrase is “I don’t actually know.”

23. Interviews Blunders! Ever come away from an interview knowing that it could have gone better? Maybe you think you don't have any recourse or way to remedy a misstep. But you do, depending on the type of blunder… The trick in general is not to dwell on something if it does happen, and to “recover” as quickly as possible!

24. Interviews Blunders! But what if you completely forget to provide a piece of information and think of it post-interview? Candidates are always free to send more references or they might write in a cover letter accompany supporting material. “I've done x, y, and z, and it didn't come up during the interview, but in hindsight, it's relevant to my application.”

25. Interviews Blunders! Adding more detail and evidence of how you're the right match for a certain position is perfectly fine! It is not considered a strike against you. As it usually takes a little time between the day of the interview and when the position is filled, you probably have some leeway. But do act quickly and respectfully. There's no stigma attached to coming back with information after the interview.

26. Interviews Blunders! Filling in extra facts is one thing - another is a misunderstood question or realising after the fact that the interviewer might have interpreted a remark you uttered in the wrong way. This is a different issue entirely! It needs to be to handled with another approach, but could be trickier. If the first blunder is serious enough you may have removed yourself from contention, so how you address the person in the follow-up is very important!!

27. Interviews Blunders! Do you want to bring additional attention to a mistake? The answer depends on the nature of the oversight and how much you want the job. Generally, discount the worry about accentuating the problem. As humans, we tend to retain in memory the bad things! But in reality the interviewer will probably realise a faux pas for what it was, not some fundamental flaw in the candidate's character.

28. Interviews Blunders! If you feel you really must correct a mistake, do it by phone call over e-mail. The immediacy and less of a chance of being misinterpreted a second time are two good reasons for a follow-up phone call versus e-mail. You might say something like this: 'This morning when we were talking about issue x,y,z, I think I left you with an impression that is really the not the way I feel, or the answer I gave you does not fully reflect my views on this topic. I'm concerned that it materially affects my chances in the interview process and I would really welcome the opportunity to talk to you again about this issue.'

29. Interviews Body language…