CoverLetters(Advanced)

1.Whatisthejobofacoverletter?
Toexplainwhyyou,overalltheothercandidates,areworthtakingthetimetofindoutmoreabout;tosellyourself;
toensuretheprospectiveemployeereadsfurther.

2.WhatdoyouknowaboutCoverLetters?
True False
Youdontneedoneunlesstheadvertisementspecificallyasksforone
Potentialemployersrarelyreadthem
Theyshouldbechangedforeachjobyouapplyfor
Theyshouldhighlightthemostimportantpartsofyourresume
Writingagoodonetakestime
Theyprovideasampleofyourwrittencommunicationskills
Theyshouldbeapproximatelytwopages

Thereare2typesofcoverletters:
1.TheAPPLICATIONLETTERwhichrespondstoaknownjobopeninge.g.anadvertisedposition
2.ThePROSPECTINGLETTER(akaletterofinterest,enquiryletter)whichinquiresaboutpossiblepositions

3.Whatshouldyourcoverletterinclude?
Yourpersonal/contactdetails
Thedate
Asalutation/greeting
Howyouheardaboutthejob/company
Whyyoubelieveyouwouldbeanassettotheteam
Howyouwillfollowup
Aclosing/signature
CoverLetters(Advanced)
2

SectionA:PersonalDetails
4.Whichofthefollowinginformationshouldbeincludedinyourdetails?
Yes No
Title(e.g.Mr,Dr,etc)
Fullname
Nickname
Dateofbirth
Nationality
Emailaddress
Mailing/residentialaddress
Maritalstatus
Daytimephonenumber
Afterhoursphonenumber
Visastatus

SectionB:Salutation&Date
5.Whatshouldyoudoifyoudonthavethenameofapersontoaddressyourcoverletterto?
Findonebyresearchingonlineormakingaphonecall.

DearMr/Ms/DrJones(Alwaysdoublecheckthespellingofthecontactpersonsname)
OR
Towhomitmayconcern
DearSirorMadam

SectionC:Reasonforyourinterest
APPLICATIONLETTER
Thejobtitleand/orjob/advertisementreferencenumber
Howyouheardaboutthejobe.g.newspaperadvertisement,onlineadvertisement,colleague(Ifyouhave
beenreferredtoapotentialemployerbyafriendoracquaintance,besuretomentionthismutualcontact)

Forexample:ItiswithgreatinterestthatIwritetopresentmycredentialsforthepositionofChemicalEngineerwith
GiantExplosionsPtyLtdwhichwasadvertisedonSeek.comonMonday,May5
th
.

PROSPECTINGLETTER
Howyouheardaboutthecompany/organisation
Yourspecificjobobjective

For example: I am writing to enquire about upcoming employment opportunities in Civil Engineering at Super Structure Pty
Ltd, after reading about your company in Radical Roads Magazine. I am seeking an entry level position having recently
graduated from a Bachelor in Civil Engineering.
CoverLetters(Advanced)
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SectionD:Yourmostrelevantskillsandexperience

APPLICATIONLETTER
Illustratehowyourparticularabilitiesandexperiencesrelatetotheposition
Showhowyoureducationandworkskillsaretransferable,andthusrelevant,totheposition
Bespecific;usebriefexamples
Ensureyouaddressanyspecificselectioncriteriamentionedintheadvertisement
Callattentiontoadditionalelementsofyourbackgroundthatseemrelevant
Emphasizeyourachievements

PROSPECTINGLETTER
Giveevidencethatyouhaveresearchedtheorganizationthoroughlyandthatyoupossessskillsusedwithin
thatorganization
Describeyourgeneralworkplaceskillssuchascommunication,teamwork,problemsolvingetc

SectionE:Closing
APPLICATIONLETTER
Reiterateyourinterestinthejob
Thanktherecruiterfortheirtime
Askforaninterview
DrawattentiontoyourCV
Indicatethatyourreferencesareavailableonrequest

For example: I would be very pleased for the opportunity to join your team. I have attached my current resume for
your consideration and am available for interview at your earliest convenience. Thank you for taking the time to
reviewmyapplication;Ilookforwardtohearingfromyou.
PROSPECTINGLETTER
Lettheemployerknowwhenyouintendtofollowup,andhow(e.g.viaemail/phone)

Forexample:IwouldbeverypleasedifIcouldmeetwithyoutodiscussanyupcomingemploymentopportunitiesand
willcallyouinaweektodiscussmyapplicationfurther.

SectionF:Signature
Sincerely
Sincerelyyours
Regards
Bestregards
Kindregards
Yourstruly
Mostsincerely
Respectfully
Respectfullyyours
Thankyou
Thankyouforyourconsideration

CoverLetters(Advanced)
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EmailCoverLetters
Putyournameandthepositionforwhichyouareapplyinginthesubjectlineofyouremail
Pasteyourcoverletterintothebodyofyouremailmessage(unlessspecifiedotherwisebytheemployer)
Includeyourcontactinformationinyoursignatureinsteadofatthetopofthemessage
Saveanyattachedfileswithyourname,sotheydon'tgetmixedupwithotherapplicant'smaterialse.g.
AnnabelDuckworthSmithResume
Includeyourresumeasanattachment(unlessspecifiedotherwisebytheemployer)
Useabasicfontandremovetheformatting

FormattingTips
Doublecheckspellingandgrammar
Havesomeoneproofreadyourcoverletter
ChooseaplainsimplefontsuchasArial,Calibriin1012point.
Avoid novelty fonts they are not professional
UseplainwhiteA4paper

FurtherReadingandResources
ONLINE
HowtoWriteaCoverLetter
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/aa030401a.htm

Acomprehensivelistofcoverlettersamples
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/coverlettsample.htm

MorecoverlettersamplesfrominternetrecruitmentsiteMonster
http://careeradvice.monster.co.uk/cvsapplications/freecoverlettersamples/jobs.aspx

EngineeringCoverLetterTips
http://freesamplecoverletters.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/engineeringcoverletters.html

BOOKS
TheCompleteIdiot'sGuidetothePerfectCoverLetterSusanIreland
CoverLettersforDummiesJoyceLainKennedy
OvernightJobChangeLetterDonaldAsher
DynamicCoverLettersKatherine&RandallHansen

CoverLetters(Advanced)
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JennySmith
2/301WellingtonRd,Clayton,Victoria,3800
0400123456
jenny.smith@gmail.com
9June2011

MsINeedthejob
HumanResourcesDepartment
AcmeEngineering
3400PrincesHwy,MelbourneVic3000

DearMsNeedthejob

Re:GraduateCivilEngineer,(PositionReferenceNumber16255)

AftertalkingwithyourHumanResourcesrepresentative,MarjorieSmith,attheMonashUniversityGraduateCareers
Fair,IwouldliketoapplyforapositionwithinyourGraduateEngineeringProgram.Currently,Iaminmyfinalyearof
aBachelorofEngineering(Civil)atMonashUniversityandbelievemyskillsandexperiencesarewellsuitedtoa
positionasaGraduateEngineeratAcmeEngineering.

AcmeEngineeringisacompanyofparticularinteresttomeduetotheopportunitytobeinvolvedin
completingprojectssuchastheMonashFreewayUpgradeandtheFrankstonBypasssafely,ontimeand
withinbudget.Iwouldenjoythechallengeofworkingwithinagraduateprogramthatincorporatesrotations
throughtheResearchandDevelopment,ProcurementandRiskAnalysisdepartments.

ThroughmystudiesatMonash,Ihavelearntanalysis,designandmanagementtechniquesineachofthefour
streamsincivilengineering:includinggeotechnical,transportandtraffic,waterandstructuralengineering.The
coursehasfocusedontacklingrealengineeringproblemsandincorporatedtwelveweeksofindustrialplacement
whichIundertookwithVicRoads.DuringmyplacementIworkedontheM80upgradewhereIwasabletoapplymy
theoreticalknowledgeofoccupationalhealthandsafety,environmentalmanagement,riskmanagementand
customerserviceprinciples.Inaddition,myconceptualandanalyticalskillswhenassessingcomplextechnicalissues
andmyabilitytodemonstrateindependentjudgmentwereproven.

AsassistantshiftsupervisorwithFineFoodSupermarket,Iamrequiredtopreparerosters,arrangeshelf
space,assistcustomerswiththeirenquiriesandprovidebackuptothecashiersandstoreroomstaff.By
workingcollaborativelywithmanagementandstaff,Ihavedemonstratedmywrittenandverbal
communicationskills,abilitytoplan,setandachievegoalsandexpertisewithstafftrainingandsupport.
Additionally,duringmyroleasavolunteerinstructorwithVICSwim,Ihavepresentedcommunityeducation
programstoraiseawarenessofwatersafetyandconductedswimmingclassesforindividualsandgroups.
Theseactivitieshavedevelopedmyskillsinpublicspeaking,organisingandtakingresponsibilityformanaging
anactivityprogram.

Thankyouforconsideringmyapplication.Enclosedisacopyofmyresumeandacademictranscript.Iwould
welcometheopportunitytodiscussmyapplicationwithyouinmoredetailataninterview.

Yourssincerely
JennySmith

http://careers.monash.edu.au/assets/docs/sampleengineeringcoverletter.pdf