COVER LETTER ADVICE

Cover letters are your opportunity to convince the employer that you are the ideal person for the job. Although your CV is great for listing your general experience, it is your cover that will really prove that your experience can be related to the specific job and that you would perform well.

Below are a few general tips from the Marine Resources Team on how to make your letter successful.

Layout

It is important to get the right layout so that the reader can get all the information they need quickly and easily. Your letter should ideally be:

• No more than one A4 page
• Written as a formal letter (your word processor may have a template)
• Addressed directly to the contact for the job (use the name given in the job advert - this may be the employer or perhaps one of our recruitment consultants)
• Broken down into a few concise paragraphs
• Ended politely with “Yours sincerely,” and your name
  

Content

• Begin by explaining which job you are applying for and why you are particularly interested in that position, company, industry or location (show that you have done a bit of research)
• Explain exactly why you are suitable for the job. Refer back to the requirements in the job advert and use specific examples from your previous experience
• Try to describe your experience in terms of achievements
• If relevant to the application or if directly requested, you may wish to describe your current employment, location, family status, salary expectations or availability for work.
  

You can now include a cover letter with any of your applications via the Marine Resources website and most job adverts include a contact telephone number in case you wish to check if specific content is required.

Good luck!