# Cover letter advice



## Dharma Ga (Feb 5, 2009)

Hi guys, struggling with how to convince employers in cover letters to ask me for an interview, would be grateful for any advice. This is one version I thought I could use the gist of and alter a bit for different jobs. Mainly apply for admin jobs. Have very little work experience so this is pretty much what I think I could extrapolate from my experience without duplicating my CV. Have a psychology degree as academic merit. 

Dear Sir/Madam
I read your advert regarding the Administration Assistant as advertised on reed.co.uk. It looks like a great opportunity and I would therefore like to offer you my services. I have a 2:1 BSc Hons in Psychology which reflects my interests and me as a person.
I am very much a people person with a passion for helping others and have worked in various service roles since my graduation. Providing good customer service was key in my work as a carer for the elderly, as they had special needs, and social skills as well as patience and understanding was crucial. I am meticulous and have an eye for detail which was demanded during my work as a freelance translator. It required a good grasp of language (English/Swedish) and the ability to meet quick deadlines. In my latest freelance work as a webdesigner, I am building a website from scratch for a building company which requires a good understanding of design and IT skills. Through my CV you will see that I am a person with drive and dedication but also a person with good interpersonal skills and an ability to connect with people from various backgrounds. 

I would welcome the opportunity for an interview at your convenience, and I thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,


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## Cookie Monster (Nov 6, 2009)

Hi Mercury,

The cover letter is a great start, but you always want to tailor your letter to the job description for each and every job you apply for. Specifically address what the ad asks for and then write in your letter about how you meet the qualifications. Not all admin jobs are the same, and employers can smell a form letter from a mile away. I would highly suggest proofreading the letter (there are some grammatical errors, and in this competitive market, a typo can make your break your resume.


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## JJMTBC (Jun 4, 2010)

The line "I would like to offer you my services" doesn't sit well with me. I might alter that by saying, "I would be grateful for the opportunity to join your team as ......" and then fill in your qualifications. The line isn't bad per se, but, in my opinion, it seems as if you're giving off a somewhat of a presumptuous vibe. Just something to think about :happy:


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## Isis (Jul 8, 2010)

Mercury said:


> Hi guys, struggling with how to convince employers in cover letters to ask me for an interview, would be grateful for any advice. This is one version I thought I could use the gist of and alter a bit for different jobs. Mainly apply for admin jobs. Have very little work experience so this is pretty much what I think I could extrapolate from my experience without duplicating my CV. Have a psychology degree as academic merit.
> 
> Dear Sir/Madam
> I read your advert regarding the Administration Assistant as advertised on reed.co.uk. It looks like a great opportunity and I would therefore like to offer you my services. I have a 2:1 BSc Hons in Psychology which reflects my interests and me as a person.
> ...



You don't really need to get into a lot of detail in a covering letter. It would be more important to use more formal language (not sure "advert" "me as a person" of "from scratch" would pop you to the top of the interview pile, even if they would not hurt), and to explain that you are eager to adapt your education and skills to meet the needs of their organization.

You can just explain where you saw the listing for the open position, and that you hope your qualifications would suit you for the job in their organization. You could also say that you enjoy building relationships with various types of people and that you would apply your dedication and drive to any job you took. Would not mention an interview in the cover letter. They know you want one.

You could also edit the resume a little to reflect the language they used in the advert.

Another thing to consider is that you sound a too talented (to me, anyway) to be satisfied with an admin job for very long. You may want to look for jobs more clearly in the sector in which you trained so the employer sees how they can keep you for a while.

Good luck.


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## darlarosa (Jul 20, 2010)

Along with what everyone else has said, all I can add is stress what makes those skills perfect for each position. Ask yourself what they are asking "What makes X different from Y?"


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## Jojo (Jul 5, 2010)

This is very small nitpicky avoid using so many I's use orther variation. My past discussions with other managers is it makes you look self-centered!


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