When posting a CV to a potential Croydon employer do you always add a covering letter too? What should this contain? We at AllCroydonJobs want to aid you in maximising your chances of getting that perfect job so here is our advice on covering letters.
Should you always include a covering letter?
Straightforward answer, YES!
A CV will tell a prospective Croydon employer of your employment history, education etc but not the reason you are applying for their position with their organisation. It also provides your CV a personal touch which demonstrates to the organisation that you have made a special effort to apply.
So what do you say to aid you in securing that job and ensuring you stand out from the crowd?
Firstly, bear in mind that you are presenting yourself to a professional person and your covering letter should show this:
- If the name of the person you are sending the CV to is in the advert then make sure you address it to them. For example, you could find ‘please apply to Mr John Smith, Croydon branch’ at the bottom of the advertisement
- If it is not on the ad then contact the business and request for a name to address it to as it displays an extra effort. If their name is still not available then address it ‘Dear Sir/Madam’
- Remember to finish with ‘Kind Regards’, ‘Yours Sincerely’ (if it’s to a named person) or ‘Yours Faithfully’ (if you have not been able to find out the name)
- You should do this also when applying to one of Croydon recruitment agencies as they too will need to feel that you are suitable.
Secondly, remember that you are selling yourself in particular relation to the job for which you are applying. The things you might want to include are:
- Say that you are attaching your CV for their reference for the Croydon role advertised.
- Express interest in the Croydon position
- Say briefly what you have been doing with career
- Say the skills you feel you have and how you could apply them to this role
- Finally, State that you would be delighted to discuss this further if they would be kind enough to invite you to interview.
Try to be honest and passionate. Think about why you are applying, there must be reasons you feel that would be suitable for the job so explain that to them. A excellent covering letter could be more important than the CV itself particularly if you don’t have entirely the necessary skills or experience but feel that you can make up for it in others ways.
Remember to alter your covering letter for each job to which you apply so that it remains relevant and strong. Note: organisations such as Croydon Council tbc jobs and Croydon Universities if there are any jobs may not require covering letters as they have extensive online forms.
