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Cover Letter

Cover Letter. Just as important as your CV Usually read before your CV Makes the connection between you and the opportunity Must be personalised & customised Must focus on the job & organisation Reinforces suitability & evidence for this Should match & complement your CV. Covering letter.

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Cover Letter

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  1. Cover Letter • Just as important as your CV • Usually read before your CV • Makes the connection between you and the opportunity • Must be personalised & customised • Must focus on the job & organisation • Reinforces suitability & evidence for this • Should match & complement your CV

  2. Covering letter A business-like, formal, carefully presented, one-page letter, preferably to a named person, which should: • Say what you are applying for • Explain why you are interested in the job and employer • Emphasise your suitability and highlight your strengths • Positive ending, inviting further contact

  3. CV ~ key messages • Employers spend less than 30 seconds scanning CVs • Don’t think of your CV as one set document • Adapt it, make it fit for purpose • Visual impact important • Which style/format appropriate for you/job? • Content must be relevant to opportunity • Most important/relevant information first • Use positive and appropriate vocabulary

  4. Personal details: name, address, telephone, email Career objective or personal profile?? Education, training, qualifications Work experience/voluntary work Skills Achievements Interests and activities Referees What to include

  5. Education and Work Experience • Usual to start with the most recent • For education give qualification titles, dates, results, institution attended, modules, projects, skills, etc. • For employment give job title, name of organisation, dates, main duties, skills you developed, responsibilities

  6. Skills Your skills could be • Examples of skills: job specific, IT, leadership, team work, communication, problem solving, etc. • incorporated into other sections of your CV (employment or education ) • written as a skills section focusing on areas relevant to your target career • Ensure there's some evidence!

  7. Interests and Activities • Must add value • Relate to skills areas (team work, public speaking, leadership) • Don’t just list them, e.g., music, reading, sport ~ give some detail and make it sound interesting • Avoid the ordinary or obvious (e.g., socialising with friends, watching TV, etc.)

  8. Referees • One academic plus one other (usually an employer) • Ask their permission first • Let them know what you are applying for and give them a copy of your CV • Alternative is to say ‘References available on request’

  9. “Best & Worst” CV Words (Research from University of Hertfordshire’s School of Psychology) • 10 words that make a good impression achievement, active, developed, evidence, experience, impact, individual, involved, planning, transferable skills • 10 words to avoid! always, awful, bad, fault, hate, mistake, never, nothing, panic, problems

  10. Fonts From ‘Psychology of Fonts’ by Aric Sigman • Arial, Verdana, Comic Sans MS, Tahoma are seen as being legible; impact making; contemporary’ • Times New Roman & Courier New as ‘business like’ _______________________________________________________ • ‘Sans’ fonts (without curly bits on letters) are clearer to read, e.g., Arial, Verdana, Geneva • Font size usually 12, but depends on font and spacing Headings/name can be larger

  11. Putting an employer off • Too long • Disorganised, poorly presented • Bad spelling, grammar and punctuation • Too fancy, gimmicky • Vagueness, not giving enough information • Too much or irrelevant information • Jargon or abbreviations • Gaps in dates, inconsistencies • Not skills/achievement oriented • Misdirected

  12. Websites for CV advice • Careers website www.mdx.ac.uk/careers > Current Student > CV writing • Graduate Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk > Jobs and Work > Applications, CVs & Interviews • Windmills Career Development Programme www.windmillsonline.co.uk/interactive/section_3/subsection_3/page2.html www.windmillsprogramme2007.co.uk/frames.asp • www.bbc.co.uk/wales/justthejob/jobs/cvs.shtml • www.businessballs.com > CV Writing • www.alec.co.uk • www.bradleycvs.co.uk • www.pearsoned.co.uk/bookshop/minds/gradcareers/index.htm • http://targetjobs.co.uk/general-advice/applications-and-cvs.aspx • www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithyourcareer/writecv • CV Builder https://83.138.168.192/index.php • also many job vacancy websites and professional bodies offer advice on CVs

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