Cover letter example guide

Your House/ Flat number and Road

Town
County
Postcode

Date written in full e.g. 12th October 2015

Top tip:
Contact Name It’s crucial you tailor your letter to
Job Title the opportunity and organisation
Organisation name
Address
Postcode

Dear Title Surname (e.g. Mr Jones, Ms Jones) or Sir/ Madam

 State what you are applying for and when and where you saw it advertised e.g. website, newspaper and
Paragraph include any reference numbers or codes, employers may be recruiting for other positions and it will
1 ensure that you are considered for the right one.
 Say which documents you are enclosing/ attaching for their consideration (CV, application form).

 Briefly describe your professional and academic qualifications that are relevant to the role and what you
are currently doing e.g. “I am a final year Humanities student…”
 Match your skills and experience to the advertisement or person specification. Include examples of
Paragraph relevant projects, research and group work.
2
 Your skills and experience can also include examples from placements, part time work, extra-curricular
activities and additional skills like languages, driving licence, IT skills.
 Pick out the key words from the advert and make sure you use them throughout your letter.
Paragraph
3  Research the organisation and industry and include why the opportunity/ organisation is of interest to you
and what you can bring to them, rather than what they can do for you .
 This is where you show your enthusiasm for the organisation and the job and your career motivation.

 Thank them for considering your application, offer your mobile number/ email address to contact you if
they need any further information and say when you would be available. “I would welcome the
Paragraph
4
opportunity to discuss the application further in person or by phone” (telephone interviews are commonly
used as the first stage of the recruitment process) You may also wish to add “I look forward to hearing
from you” as appropriate.

Yours sincerely (if name is known)

Yours faithfully (if addressing to Dear Sir/ Madam)
Top tip:
Your full name You could swap paragraph 2 and 3
around. Just make sure the letter flows
well.

N.B: The information in this leaflet is correct as of August 2015.