Creating your cover letter

MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 1

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Creatingyourcoverletter

Purposeofacoverletter

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Youmayneedtowriteacoverlettertorespondtoanadvertisedpositionoryoumaybeapproachinga

companyseekinganinternshiporgraduaterole.Whateverthesituation,acoverletterneedstohighlight

theskillsandknowledgeyouwillbringtotheposition.Yourcoverletterisanexampleofyourwritten

communicationskillsandneedstobetailoredtothecompanyand/orjobyouareapplyingto.

Understandthecompanyandtherole

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Beforeputtingtogetheryourapplication,undertakesomeresearchaboutthecompanyandrole.This

mightincludecurrentprojectsofthecompany,awardstheyhavewonorlookingattheirvaluesand

culture.Useyournewknowledgetoexplainwhyyouareinterestedinthiscompanyandtoshapeyour

overallapplication.

Structure

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Ageneralguideforacoverletterstructureis:

Openingparagraph

 Stateyourpurposeforwriting.Focusonwhathasattractedyoutothisrole/company.Showyour

research.

Middleparagraphs

 Showyoursuitabilityfortheposition–howyoumeettheselectioncriteria.Providespecific

examples

Closingparagraphs

 Includeashortsummaryofyoursuitability.Thankthereaderforconsideringyourapplication.

Indicateyoulookforwardtoaninterview.

Resources

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YoucanalsoplanyourcoverletteroutwithEmployMe. Tryoutthecoverletterbuilderandaccessarange

ofresourcestohelpyouperfectandspecialiseit.

Additionally,utilisetheCareersandEmployabilitywebsiteandservicestocontinuouslyimproveyour

knowledgeofcoverletters.

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MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 2

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Seethefollowingexamples–usetheseasaGUIDEonly(DONOTCOPY,THEYAREGIVENTOMANY

STUDENTS)

Example1:Respondingtoajobadvert

YourName

Address

Phone

Email

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Date

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ContactPersonsName

ContactpersonsPositionTitle

Nameoforganisation

OrganisationAddress

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DearMsEmployer(alwaystrytogetanameandavoidsir/madam)

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(Positiontitleandreferencenumber,ifapplicable)

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1.Nominatethejobforwhichyouareapplying.Indicatethesourceandthedateofthe

publishedjobinformation.Providedetailsofanycontactyouhavehadwiththeorganisation,

mentioninganameifappropriate.

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2.Introduceyourselfinawaythatwillbemostappealingeg:‘Iamrecentgraduatewithexperience

in…..…’Thengoontosaywhyyouwanttheposition.Youneedtoconveystrongmotivationforthe

particularroleandtheparticularorganisation.Linkthiswithyourcareerplansordirection.Indoing

this,youwillalsodemonstratethatyouhaveastrongunderstandingoftheorganisation.

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3.Overthenextoneortwoparagraphs,indicatewhyyouareastrongcandidateforthejob–thatis,

howyoumeettheselectioncriteria.Don’ttryandcovereveryelement.Focusonsomekeycriteria

(andalsoyourownunderstandingofwhatwouldappealtothisemployer–sometimesobvious

aspectsarenotmentionedinselectioncriteria)andrefertoyourqualifications,experiencesand

achievementstosupportyourclaims.Includespecificsratherthantalkinginverygeneralterms.

Option–someapplicantsusedotpointsinthissection.

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4.Trytoincludesomethingwhichmakesyoustandouteg:aparticularskillorquality,oraspectof

yourwork,lifeorextra‐curricularexperiencewhichisdistinctiveorperhapsunusualbutstill

relevanttotheposition.

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5.Expressyourappreciationforconsiderationofyourapplicationandyouravailabilityforwork.

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Yourssincerely

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A. N. Applicant

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Attachments:[Resume][SelectionCriteria][AcademicTranscript]

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MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 3

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Example2Speculative/coldapproachcoverletterforinternshipopportunity

JaneDo

161SwanstonStreet

Parkville,VIC3010

0400170755

[email protected]

20April2018

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MrJohnDoe

InternshipCo‐ordinator

SciTechCorporation

100St.KildaRoad,Suite714

Melbourne,VIC3000

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DearMrDoe

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Firstparagraph

Introduceyourselfbystatingyourdegree/majorandwhereyouarestudying.Specifythetypeof

positionyouareseeking(eg:internship,hours,briefdescriptionofEngineeringandITInternship

subject).Explainwhyyouareparticularlyinterestedinthecompanyandthetypeofworktheydo.

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Middleparagraphs

Outlineyourrelevantqualifications,work/volunteerexperience,extracurricularactivities,trainingand

linkthesealongwithanyrelevantskillsandachievements.

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Don’tassumethatanemployerwillautomaticallyreadyourresumeANDcoverletter.Alwaysinclude

yourkeysellingpointsinbothofthesedocuments.

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Summaryparagraph

Summarisewhyyouareastrongfitforthecompanyandhowyourskillswillmeettheirneeds.(Tip:

Youcouldsummarisethe3bestthingsaboutyouthatmakeyoumostcompetitivefortheinternship

andhowthesethingswillallowyoutomakeanimpact/getresultsintherole).

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Closingparagraph

Closebystatingyourdesireforaninterview.Youmaysaythatyouwillcallinadayorsotorequestan

appointment.

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Thankthemforconsideringyourapplication;tellthemthatyouhaveattachedacopyofyourresumeand

hostemployerinformation,andapositivestatementaboutdiscussingyourapplicationandtheposition

furtherataninterview.

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Yourssincerely

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JaneDo

Attachments:[Resume][AcademicTranscript]

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MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 4

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EnglishLanguageTips

Describingyourpersonalqualities

Asarecentlyqualifiedprofessional,youcanmakeyourapplicationstandoutbydrawingattentiontothe

personalqualitiesofyourswhicharesuitablefortheposition.Thinkcarefullyaboutthequalitiesandskills

youhavegainedthroughyourstudies,parttimework,lifeexperiences,hobbiesandextracurricular

activities.

Whatskillsmightyouhavelearnedfromplayingthepiano?

E.g.discipline,application,precision,persistence.

Whatskillsmightyouhavelearnedfromplayingfootball?Retailwork?Waitingontables?

E.g.teamwork,responsibility,reliability,accuracy,goodworkethic.

Whatskillsmightyouhaveacquiredfromcompletingyourstudies?

E.g.timemanagement,workingtodeadlines,collaboration,research,professionalcommunication.

Herearesomepersonalqualitieswhicharehighlyvaluedbyemployers.Thesearethenouns,butaddingan

adjectivecanmakethemstronger(e.g.highlycommitted).

Takealookattheexamplesbelow,thenpracticewritingnounsandadjectivesinagrammaticallycorrect

sentence.

Honesty “Iamextremely/scrupulously/veryhonest.”

“IdemonstratedcompletehonestyinmymanagementoffundsfortheUniversityChess

Club.”

Integrity “Iamapersonofhigh/absolute/completepersonalintegrity.”(Thereisnoadjectivefor

integrity

Canyoudothesamewiththefollowing?

Adaptability/Flexibility;Loyalty;Dedication/Hard‐Working/WorkEthic/Tenacity;Positive

Attitude/Motivation/Energy/Passion;

Dependability/Reliability/Responsibility;Professionalism;Self‐Confidence;Self‐Motivated/Independent;

WillingnesstoLearn.

Adverbstoexpressstrengthofyourpersonalqualitiescanbefoundinacollocationsdictionary.

E.g.prowritingaid.com/Free‐Online‐Collocations‐Dictionary.aspx

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Experienceandskills–it’sallintheverbs

Theverbsyouusetodescribeyourexperienceareimportant–makesuretheyarepreciseenoughanduse

appropriateformality.Herearesomeexamplesofimpreciseverbstoavoidandsomesuggested

alternatives:

Don’tWriteInstead,Write

Did:“Ididacourseinstatistics”  undertook,completed,instigated

Made:“Imadeaplanfor…”   created,designed,organised

Kept:“Ikeptstudying”    continued,perseveredwith,maintained,prolonged

Put:“Iputtablesoutforthecustomers” placed,arranged,organised,filed,aligned,positioned

Had:“Ihadajobasawaiter”   held,maintained,engagedin,sustained

Got:“Igotfirstclasshonours”   received,obtained,wasawarded,procured,acquired

NB:Useagooddictionary,withexamples,tochecktheexactmeaningofthewordyouhavechosenand

ifitisappropriateineachsituation

MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 5

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Choosethecorrectverbtense

TenseWhatfor?Example

Simplepast Events,completedactivities, “IcompletedmyBachelor

specificdatesofArtsin2013.”

Presentperfect Skillsacquiredwhenexacttimeisnot“IhavebeentrainedinHalftix

relevanteventbookingsoftware.”

Forunfinishedactivities “IhaveworkedforIBMsince2014

/fortwoyears.”

FutureUse   ‘will’not‘goingto’(formality)  “IwillcompletemyBachelorof

 ArtsinNovemberthisyear.”

Presentsimple  Ongoingqualitiesorstates/habits “Iampunctual.”

PassiveCentreofaction   “Iwaspromoted.”

*Comparethiswith“theypromotedme”

(activevoice)

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Makesureyouknowtheexactmeaningoftheverbyouchoosebylookingitupinthedictionaryto

establishwhoisdoingwhat.Gettingtenserightinpassiveverbscanbedifficult.Hint:putthesentencein

theactiveform,thentaketheverbtenseandputitontheverb“tobe”.Belowaresomeexamplesofthe

correctusageofpassiveverbsindifferenttenses:

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Ilearnedsoftwaredesign=Theytrainedmeinsoftwaredesign=Iwastrainedinsoftwaredesign

Theywilltrainme‐Iwillbetrained/Theyhavetrainedme‐Ihavebeentrained/Theyaretrainingme‐I

ambeingtrained

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Endsentenceswithimportant,usefulorpositiveinformation

Readerstendtoviewtheendofasentenceasthemostimportantpart.Soifyouwanttomakeyour

messageclear,movethepartyouwantyourreadertofocusontotheendofthesentence.Comparethe

following:

X

✓

IlearnedmanyusefulskillsalthoughmyAlthoughmyplacementlastedonlytwelve

placementlastedonlytwelveweeks.Weeks,Ilearnedmanyusefulskills

,

IwasresponsibleforkeepingrecordsandInthedaytodayrunningofthebusiness,I

coordinatingstaffwasresponsibleforkeepingrecords

andcoordinatingstaff.

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Use positive language wherever possible

Usepositivelanguagewhereverpossible

NegativePositive

Idonothavemuchexperiencein…   Ihavesomeexperiencein…

AlthoughIcancompleteallstagesoftheprojectIcancompleteallstagesofassessmentpriorto

assessment,Iamnotyetqualifiedtoprovidecertification

certification.

IgraduatedinNovemberbutIdidnotgetajobuntilIgraduatedinNovemberandcommencedwork

Aprilsoonafter.

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WhilemyfirstjobwasinterestingitdidnotprovideMyfirstjobwasinterestingbutlacked

opportunitiesforpromotion.opportunitiesforpromotion.

MELBOURNESCHOOLOFENGINEERING 6

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CoverLetterChecklist

Thefollowingisgeneraladviceonhowtodraftaprofessionaljobapplicationcoverletter.

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Acoverlettermusthighlightyourkeyachievementsagainstthespecificselectioncriteriaandmustbe

tailoredtotheparticularjoborpositionyouareapplyingfor.

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Acoverletterisoftenrequiredinthejobapplicationprocess.However,ifindoubt,alwaysfollowthe

specificrequirementsofthejobadvertisementandindustrystandards.

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FORMAT AND PRESENTATION

A cover letter is your introduction to an employer. It should communicate your motivation for the position and why

you are a strong candidate for the role.

Lengthshouldbe1pagemaximum.

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Layoutisconsistent.Tabsarealignedandlinespacingiseven.

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Formatisclearandeasytoread–notovercrowdedwithenoughwhitespaceusedthroughout.

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Styleisconsistent(e.g.fonttype,fontsizeconsistent,bullets,bold).

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Contactdetailsareincluded(ie:name,phonenumber,email).

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Optional:LinkedInURLandresidentialaddress.

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CONTENT

Application/referencenumber:clearlynominatethejobforwhichyouareapplying.

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Date:isincluded.

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Addressedappropriately:refertoaddresseeasoutlinedinthejobadd(ie:Mr/Ms–onlyuse

Mrsifindicated).DonotuseSir/Madam.Ifunknownrecipient,address:‘Towhomitmay

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Purpose:reasonforwritingisclearlyarticulatedinthefirstparagraph.

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Supportingstatements:justifyyoursuitabilityfortheposition–howyoumeettheselectioncriteria.

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Appreciation:isexpressedforconsiderationofyourapplication.

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Formalclosing:e.g.Yourssincerely.

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Spelling,grammarandpunctuation:youmustcheckyourspellingandgrammartoensureyour

documentismistake‐free.

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