How To Write A Graduate Cover Letter-00-6278

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Here is one of the golden rules of job applying - graduate cover letters are extremely important! They are just as important as your graduate CV and, in terms of swaying the graduate recruiter's opinion, frequently more so.

Creating a great CV that is neat and easy to read is essential, however it should only contain key information about your academic background, hobbies, work experience, etc. A graduate cover letter gives you more room to express yourself and is where you can really work the magic and persuade the employer why you are the person for the graduate job!

Layout:
The layout of a graduate cover letter, something many people overlook, should be that of a regular posted letter, even if it is sent by email or fax. This means it should begin with your address justified to the right, followed by ‘Dear Mr. Smith,' If you do not know the contact's name you can write ‘Dear Sir/Madam,' or ‘To Whom it May Concern,' The next line should be indented and is the body of your letter. If you are sending the letter by email place a line under your postal address justified to the left saying ...
... ‘via email: youremailaddress@yourhost.com'.

Content:

A graduate cover letter should be no more than one side of A4, and rarely should it be less either. A short covering letter implies that not only do you have little positive attributes to sell about yourself but that you also lack drive and desire for the graduate job position.

Open the letter with a paragraph informing the reader of which role you are applying for and where you found out about it. Then state most key piece of information concerning you. A graduate would put something along the lines of ‘I am a graduate of Keele University, with a 2.1 in Politics and History.' A second jobber may open with their last job position and mention their degree later in the letter.

The graduate cover letter is about persuading the reader how the skills you have gained from various activities are applicable to the job description. Follow up your introductory paragraph with reasons as to how your degree or last job position has presented you with the key skills required for the job position and don't forget to mention how hungry you are for the role!

After this you can move on to work experience and how it is similarly relevant and finally hobbies that you participate in. Many people struggle to find reasons for incorporating their hobbies into a covering letter but almost any pastime can be presented as a positive attribute in relation to a graduate job vacancy. For example, if you enjoy playing chess this demonstrates you as a very good tactician and lateral thinker, assets which are extremely desired by graduate employers. If you are part of a sports team then you are demonstrating dedication, how you can work as part of a team and possibly leadership skills. Furthermore, if you have won any awards for your hobbies then mention them; it's one thing to say you enjoy taking part in a pastime; it's another proving that you are good at it!

By the time you have done all of that, your graduate cover letter should be about a side of A4 and practically complete. All you have to do now is sign off with ‘Yours faithfully/sincerely' (as appropriate) and you have a gleaming graduate cover letter!

About the Author:

http://www.graduate-jobs.com/ demand a good level of explanation and expression in any http://www.graduate-jobs.com/gjs/graduate-cv-advice.jsp accompanying an impressive graduate CV. Graduate-jobs.com provides valuable advice and tips on making an impressive graduate job application.