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Covering Letter Tips

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 First impressions are important. Your covering letter is often your first introduction to an employer. Your covering letter and Curriculum Vitae provide all the information which a prospective employer will use to decide whether or not you will reach the next phase in the application process: the interview.

The covering letter is every bit as important as your CV. In fact, many employers will not even look at your CV if the covering letter is poorly written, disorganised or difficult to read and understand. If your CV isn't even read, the chance of getting an interview is virtually zero. Therefore, it is important to give the same careful consideration and attention to the preparation of covering letters, as you gave to your CV.Covering Letters Tips:

  • A covering letter should be no longer than one page in length.
  • It should contain only three or four paragraphs - keep the paragraphs short and to the point.
  • Make your letter neat and organised.
  • Do not handwrite the letter.
  • Use a font and type size that is easy to read.
  • Use standard paper and avoid using brightly coloured paper.
  • Always customise the letter for the position you are applying for.
  • Make sure it is addressed to a specific person, not a title.
  • Indicate where you can be reached by including your telephone number and/or email address.
  • Refer to qualifications, experience and skills that are described in the job description.
  • Show that you know something about the company.
  • Express your enthusiasm and interest in the position and the company
  • For more information on job search techniques visit: http://www.mystudent4life.com

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Editor's Welcome

 

Hello! I'm a great believer in the power of stories, whether they be folk tales, novels, films or TV dramas.
 
They have a wonderful ability to get complex moral or social issues over to us in a palatable, easy-to-understand way and can provide many lessons if only we care to look just a little bit below the surface.
 
But they can also act as a fun starting point for discussion and debate on rather more serious topics that are all too often brushed under the carpet and ignored.
 

Hence our decision to start up a Review slot on the site to look at those everyday stories that are all around us from an HR perspective.

Although we've been publishing book reviews (take a look at our Book Club list of suggested possible non-fiction works for evaluation here) for some time, you may also have noticed that we've been running a weekly home page blog on The Apprentice courtesy of The Chemistry Group for a while now.

And Pauline Wood, managing director at specialist retail headhunter, court & spark consulting, was likewise kind enough to write our first film review on the Headhunters movie.

But the big question is, why don't you give it a go yourself? There's a world of choice out there and I, like the rest of the community, would love to hear your thoughts and insights.

So next time you watch a movie, see a TV drama or read a novel that you think has an HR message worth sharing, send your review to me at cath.everett@siftmedia.co.uk or post it directly to our blogs section at www.hrzone.co.uk/blogs.

So get critiquing and look forward to hearing from you very soon.....

Cath Everett
HRZone Editor 
 
 
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