Whether youâre applying for a job, a scholarship or to get into your dream university course, writing a covering letter and CV is a real art.
Weâve asked our experts to give us their top tips on how to put together a successful application.
In this short film, our experts explain what makes a CV and cover letter stand out.
"If you were writing a cover letter, the main thing I would say is it needs to be exciting enough to compel the reader to want to read more about you. So, if itâs applying for a job, theyâll need to want to look at your CV, having read your cover letter."
"Two key things to consider in that personal statement is why should we choose you as a student, and why do you want to study this course? So, you really need to think about your motivation. Whatâs inspired you to want to study this course?"
"Itâs really easy on a cover letter or a CV to say, 'Iâve got excellent communication skills,' or, 'Iâm a great team player.' But you have to back that up with real experience that youâve got. So, it could be, 'Iâve got great communication skills, as evidenced by my time in the debating team,' or, 'Iâm a great team player, as evidenced by my work experience or my part-time job.'"
"Employers want to see somebody whoâs unique, somebody whoâs different, so they want to see that come out either on paper in your CV or in an interview."
"Things like pink CVs or graphics on your CVs donât always go down well with employers, so think about the market that youâre applying to. If youâre applying to a prestigious law firm, for example, a pink CV probably is gonna fall flat."
"It needs to be short, snappy and sweet, because they might be reading hundreds of these things."
"The days of the generic CV are over. You canât write your CV, expect to hand it into 100 different jobs and expect that to work. You might get lucky, but the reality is now that employers are more demanding. So, yes, 75% of your CV will stay the same, itâll be the education, work experience, your personal details. But the other 25%, which might be something like a personal profile, it might be a skills profile, it might be you changing, maybe, the subjects youâve studied in school or what you learned within that, are the absolutely essential parts to making an effective CV. You need to speak to that employer and explain to them why you are ideal. And if you put a generic CV, itâs very hard to do that. Take the time to understand what the employer needs, then take the time to understand how you meet those skills, and youâll be on to a winner."
CVs and applications: Top tips
- Make sure your covering letter is short and snappy â they will be reading hundreds of them, so if somethingâs not necessary, donât include it
- A good cover letter will make the reader want to know more about you. It is, first and foremost, a good piece of writing that tells your story
- Employers want someone whoâs different, with distinctive skills
- But different doesnât always mean âquirkyâ! Think of the industry you want to work in: if youâre applying to work at a prestigious law firm, a pink CV might not go down well!
- Generic CVs donât work: they need to be tailored to the job youâre applying for
- While 75% of your CV (such as your personal details, education and work experience) will remain the same, the other 25% (for example: a personal statement, a skills profile or the more granular details about what you studied for a certain subject) needs to be relevant to that job
- Look at the job description and what the employer is looking for, and match that with your experience
- Give concrete examples. Itâs easy to claim youâve got excellent communication skills, but you need to back it up with evidence. Did you volunteer at a help line, or work in customer service? Or were you part of a debating team? Say it!
- If youâre applying for a place at uni, they will want to know: why should we choose you and why do you want to study this course?
- If youâre invited for an interview, your prospective tutors might ask you questions about books, films or anything else you may have mentioned in your personal statement â so donât lie, and do your research!
- Of course, it goes without saying: spellcheck your application and make sure your grammar is impeccable.
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