When you put together a well written Cover Letter to accompany your CV, it will help make your CV stand out and encourage the recipient to read your CV in detail. A badly written letter could scupper your chances before anyone has even seen your CV.

A good CV Cover Letter will demonstrate key experience and skills relevant to the role you are applying for. The ultimate aim is for the letter and CV to provide enough information to encourage the recipient to invite you for an interview where you will be able to impress in person.

Fundamentally, a Cover Letter and CV should always be presented in a standard letter layout on quality white or ivory paper. Using ornate fonts or an elaborate layout is only advisable if the role you are applying for explicitly demands design flair. If you are sending the document via email it should sent in a Word compatible (.doc), PDF or Text (.txt or .rtf) format to ensure compatibility.

The length of you letter should be limited to only 1 side of A4. Remember, you only want to provide enough information about your relevance to the role to make the recipient interesting in reading your CV. If there is a reference, make sure you have quoted it. The first paragraph should include details of the role and the reasons you believe you are suitable for it. To impress, you should find out a couple of key facts about the company from their corporate website and make clear your enthusiasm for the job and the organisation.

You should only include your present and/or desired salary if stipulated. The end of your letter should reinforce your enthusiasm and all of your contact information. Make sure you thoroughly check the letter through for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Remember, your cover letter will create the first impression a potential employer has of you.

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