As a rule, you should never present your resume

to an employer without EITHER A COVER OR

APPLICATION LETTER.

The right letter wi l l compl iment your resume and provide personal ised information that otherwise would not be avai lable to the employer.

Remember to :

• Use business language and fol low formal letter structure in both cover and appl ication letters

• Keep things succinct and relevant. One page is suff ic ient

• Proofread and proofread again. Spel l ing and grammatical errors wi l l not give the good f i rst impression you are looking for.

Since you don’t know which third the person reading your application may fall in, it’s important your front page makes a good first impression.

When i t comes to cover letters, stat i st ics show.. .

‘One third of employers will always read it, one third might read it if it catches their

immediate attention and yes, one third of employers will not read it.’

Source: Cover Letter Magic, 4th Edit ion.

Want to know more?

The team at Student Services have a range of information that can help make sure your resume, cover or appl ication letter, and selection criteria give you the best f i rst impression. Contact them today to f ind out more.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is used when submitt ing an expression of interest for non-advertised vacancies or when canvassing for potential opportunit ies. As it is not in response to an advertisement, the cover letter can be more general ised. It should l ist the transferable ski l ls you have that can be appl ied to any job.Remember to include relevant, concise examples.

Application LETTERAn appl ication letter is in response to an advertised vacancy and as such, it is targeted and speci f ic. You need to address what is being asked for within the advertisement and explain how you are the best person for the job. It should include information and examples that demonstrate you have the ski l ls and qual i f ications requi red for the role.

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