Many employers ask for a covering letter to be sent with your application form or CV when applying for a job. This letter is designed to give the potential employer an overview of who you are and why you would like to be considered for the position.

A cover letter should ideally only be one page long and is usually made up of 3 or 4 paragraphs. The first paragraph is where you should introduce yourself and say what position it is you would like to apply for. The second paragraph should be a review brief overview of experience and/or qualifications that may be relevant to the job and the third is often a closing statement to say thank you for considering you for the position, you are happy to answer any questions and that you would be happy to attend an interview.

It is vital that you have all your contact details listed and that they are correct on your covering letter. Be sure to double check it for spelling and grammar mistakes and that the layout is in the correct format for this type of letter. You will often need to amend your covering letter each time you apply for a different job as it should be specific to the position you are wanting to be considered for.