Cover letters

Always submit a cover letter if you have the chance. Aim to be focused and engaging. Make a strong and persuasive case built on your research and supported with evidence linked to your CV.

The cover letter gives you scope to: • Showcase what interests and drives you, your enthusiasm for an organisation and the role. • Align yourself with the organisation’s strengths, values and culture. • Highlight your knowledge and strongest, most relevant skills for the position.

Try to sound professional yet conversational, rather than wordy or too stiff and formal. Write in clear, concise English – take care not to drown your reader with detail, and avoid jargon they may not understand. Search online for advice from The Plain English Campaign, which offers simple, clear guidance on improving your writing style.

While this may sound simple, your early cover letters may go through three or four drafts (or even more!) before you are happy with them.

When you feel your cover letter is finished, put it down overnight (or at least for a couple of hours) before reading it through – aloud.

As you read, listen to yourself: • Does it say clearly what you want it to say? • Does it have your ‘voice’? Do you sound confident?

Enthusiastic about the company? Excited about the role? • If you insert a competitor company’s name, does the letter still read the same? If so, try to differentiate each letter more! • Are there any sections that are hard to read or follow? If yes, try simplifying your language, using shorter sentences or try taking that section out completely.

This advice also applies if you are writing a speculative letter or application, perhaps asking an organisation if they can offer you work experience. State clearly why you are writing in your opening paragraph, and go on to outline two or three areas where your core skills and experiences best fit the organisation’s needs. Close with an indication of what you would like to happen next.

Top tips for cover letters

The outline letter opposite provides ideas about content and structure to enhance your letters. • Keep it short – a concise letter demonstrates focus and strong communication skills. • Project confidence – write with the assumption that they will interview you. • Keep the tone and content professional – attempts at humour are best avoided. • Include specific relevant details that show your research and how you consider they differ from their competitors – do not cut and paste content. • As for CVs, double check for errors and typos: using a spell checker is not enough. • Ask for feedback from a careers adviser.

More information

www.careers.ox.ac.uk/cover-letters

Their address Your address

your.email@provider.com

Date

Dear . . .

OPENING PARAGRAPH: Simply state what you are applying for and where you found out about it. This tells the recruiter why they are reading the letter, and helps them know which promotional tools work. Briefly introduce yourself: what you are studying, where, and which year you are in or when you will finish. Explain why you are interested in the position and/or the organisation. Differentiate yourself. Genuine enthusiasm and specific knowledge of the organisation will set you apart from those sending generic letters. Draw on your research to demonstrate understanding of the business and the way they work that goes beyond the corporate website. Reflect what you learnt from speaking with their staff: be specific about why you want to join the organisation or why the position is particularly attractive for you: back this up with evidence from your past, or link this to your broader career plans and aspirations.

Help the person reading your letter to understand how you meet ‘essential’ requirements for the role. State explicitly how you match their criteria, supported by evidence from your CV. Focus on your accomplishments and the most relevant transferable skills you have for the role. If you have good evidence for any ‘desirable’ traits in the job description, include this too. Even if you think the position is out of reach, you may convince the recruiter you are qualified enough and able to do the job – particularly if you demonstrate strong motivation elsewhere. Support your claims with examples from your CV. You may build a stronger, more credible case by linking different experiences to highlight different aspects of competencies or development of a skill. Consider these examples: • having run [named event] at school, I further developed my organisational skills when raising [£££] through a College fundraiser in my first year and, more recently, by leading [a major event] for the [named Society] attended by [number] of people. • the [role applied for] would allow me use my passion for helping others, which underpins both my work as College Welfare Officer and the real sense of achievement I get from tutoring disadvantaged children through Oxford’s Schools Plus programme.

CLOSING PARAGRAPH: Keep it simple and clear. Thank the employer for their interest in your application and reiterate your desire to join the organisation. If known, refer to the next step: for example, 'I look forward to interviewing with [Company name] in two weeks‘, or ‘discussing the position with you soon’.

Yours faithfully, (if you started ‘Dear Sir or Madam’) or Yours sincerely, (if you addressed the letter to a specific person) Signature