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HOW TO GET HIRED
The Business Careers Handbook 2020
Writing a CV and cover letter
First impressions are lasting and this is especially true when it comes to CVs and cover letters for graduate jobs. After all, the content of your application is only half the game. As a business graduate, it is expected that you can write clearly and persuasively. Moreover, recruiters are often time-poor professionals who want to separate the wheat from the chaff quickly, before reaching out to candidates who distinguish themselves with academic credentials, work experience or diverse interests. So, to help you put your best foot forward, we’ve assembled some tips on how to create a killer cover letter and CV.
Creating a standout cover letter The basics A cover letter is like a sales pitch, and what you’re trying to sell is your own suitability for a target job. Successful cover letters: ■ Highlight the important parts of your CV ■ Provide a sample of your written communication skills ■ Show how your skills, education and experience are relevant to the position for which you’re applying ■ Address any specific selection criteria in the job advertisement ■ Draw attention to your achievements ■ Use appropriate formatting and a professional and confident tone of voice ■ Encourage prospective employers to read further into your CV ■ Demonstrate one’s command of the rules of grammar and style. Why invest in writing a good cover letter? Cover letters can be time-consuming, and that’s largely due to the importance of writing a new one for each application. Nothing turns off a prospective employer quite like the sense that they’re reading a template letter. It’s vitally important that your submission – or at the very least, the bulk of it – is specific to the employer in question. It’s a chance to convince them that you want to work in their industry, for their specific organisation and in the role they advertised. For example, why do you want to use your degree at a large auditing or accounting firm? What, to you, is the appeal of pursuing a public sector career, instead of a private, commercial one? www.gradaustralia.com.au
The contents A cover letter should include the following: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Your personal/contact details The date A salutation/greeting How you heard about the job/organisation What attracts you to the job or organisation (you can mention some of their projects or significant staff members) ■ Why you believe you would be an asset to the team ■ How you will follow up ■ A closing/signature. The trick is to have a clear idea as to what the company does and what the job entails, then draw out evidence of your own relevant skills. Here, the more specific you can be, the better. For example, instead of simply writing that you ‘interned in a private clients team’, you could say, ‘As an intern, I worked with the private clients team where I was responsible for providing tax advice to meet specific client needs.’ Structure and tone Your cover letter should have a clear structure with an introduction that leads into a summary of your relevant skills and experiences. This should be followed by a closing statement that reiterates your interest in the job, thanks the employer for their time and includes a ‘soft pitch’. For example, you might write something like:
‘I look forward to speaking with you further about how I can make a positive contribution to your team.’ Throughout the letter, your tone should be polite and professional. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should tie yourself in knots trying to sound overly formal. Simply avoid colloquial language wherever possible and focus on providing evidence of why you should be hired (as opposed to simply claiming to be ‘excellent’ or ‘talented’). Finally, keep your cover letter succinct. It should be no longer than one A4 page and have your details clearly written as part of a letterhead.
