Suggested content for specific types of cover letters
What you write about in your letter will depend on your purpose. Following are some additional, more specific guidelines for each of the most common situations where you should send a cover letter. These situations are:
-
A position in private enterprise. Here you are responding to a job advertisement placed either by the employer, or a recruitment agency, where you are not required to also submit a separate document addressing the selection criteria.
-
A role in a government department, local government and some not for profit organisations. This type of job application usually requires you to prepare and submit, in addition to your resume and cover letter, a separate document which addresses the selection criteria contained in the person specification for the role.
-
Writing a speculative letter (or cold call) to an employer enquiring about employment opportunities.
-
Writing to introduce yourself to a recruitment agency and requesting them to assist you to find employment, rather than the situation where you are writing in response to a job advertisement.