THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER INTRODUCTION
The introduction should outline the name of your degree, how far into your studies you are, the position you are applying for and when you are expecting to graduate.
ABOUT YOU
This paragraph should set out the skills and qualifications you have that are necessary for meeting the selection criteria. You should support this with evidence or examples of your past employment history, extra-curricular activities and volunteer positions. Ensure you are emphasising your skills. These skills could include attention to detail, leadership, teamwork and ability to manage multiple tasks at one time. Then, provide examples of how you demonstrated those skills in a practical setting.
THE ORGANISATION
This paragraph should outline why you are interested in the specific firm. Use evidence to support this, such as sharing similar values with the firm or identifying appealing aspects about the organisation. Additionally, conduct research into the firm, their various practice groups, any people you have met, interesting work that the firm is currently working on, recent matters the firm has completed or recent achievements or awards the firm has received.
EXTRACURRICULAR
In this section, include your involvement at school and university, alongside any community engagement. Examples include university societies, participating in competitions, sporting team or volunteering experiences. You should highlight the skills you developed in these positions, such as teamwork or leadership.
CONCLUSION
A conclusion should thank the person addressed for their time and consideration of your application, and state that you look forward to hearing from them. Sign off with “yours sincerely…” or “kind regards…”.
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