Now you have the guidelines you need to make your CV a unique one there is still one important documentation missing which is the cover letter. This is another very important tool for marketing yourself as it gives you a chance to explain things your CV cannot.

Your employer needs to know what position you are looking for and why, which is where the cover letter comes into play as it gives you a chance to justify yourself. It is a great way to explain your CV in more detail, for example, you may have bullet pointed some of your key skills in your CV but in your cover letter you can explain these further.

If for instance you had a pause in your work experience now is your chance to explain what it is you were doing in that time, in a positive way. You can also highlight aspects of your work experience that may prove more beneficial to the potential position you are applying to. For instance you may have much experience and many skills gained in the past however, the job role you are applying to will have their own person specification highlighting what their perfect candidate must have. It is here where you can express you are the ideal candidate emphasizing your skills, experiences and objectives to your potential employer.

When writing about your personal profile you are really expressing your personality to your potential employer. This is the area where you are looking for this kind of reaction from your potential employer, “This candidate sounds like someone we would like to have in our team” leading to “I’d like to interview this candidate”. You can get this kind of reaction from employers if you follow our guidelines in writing the perfect cover letter. Often the person screening resumes skim through each for only a few seconds. Take this information as motivation to take your time to write an outstanding cover letter.

Remember in the earlier chapters when we mentioned that employers get 100’s of CV’s a week, well this is the same case for cover letters and so you may have to use similar techniques as before such as “selling” yourself. You should be aiming to call the readers attention and you can do this by emphasizing the different skills, talents and experiences you have gained lining them up with the specific ones the employer is looking for.

When you are writing the letter to try and grab the readers attention with the opening paragraph so try not to make it too boring. Include the reason you are applying to the position you are applying to, and why you are the ideal candidate for the specific role. Remember the letter should be used as a selling tool; try to convince the employer you are the best candidate for the job highlighting experiences, skills and other positive things about yourself. When ending the letter you should mention interview possibilities, arranging an interview, stating when you may be available etc.

Now here’s the important part remember to check your letter for spelling and grammar mistakes, do not write unnecessary words and always keep it short and simple, no longer than 1 page. Also make sure you differentiate each letter accordingly to different positions or companies paying detailed attention to the different requirements of each job and how you can cater to them.

To help you even further we have constructed an example of a cover letter.



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Example of Cover Letter


Date 31/01/08


ABC Ltd

Public Relations & Marketing


Dear Sir/Madam


I am interested in applying for the position stated above as I feel I would be an ideal candidate for this job. I have a great knowledge of the marketing and sales industry and am intrigued by every aspect of it from studying the subjects to actually putting the theory into practice.

I am currently working in the city of London however my aim is to gain some experience in an internationally based company. I have exceptional organisational skills am self-motivated, quick to learn and able to multi-task efficiently. I enjoy challenging environments and am enthusiastic to try out new and interesting things, I am an open minded individual and have the determination to be the best at whatever I do.

I hope you can give me an opportunity to gain some experience through your organisation as I am determined to make a good impression for my employer.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.


Yours faithfully


Mitul Patel

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