Sei sulla pagina 1di 7

Experts in Graduate & Social Recruitment

Cover Letter Guide & Examples

www.gradrecruit.com.au

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


www.gradrecruit.com.au

How to Write a Cover Letter

Cover letters are an essential part of any graduate application.

Many people ask the question as to whether cover letters actually get read. Well, from my
experience as an employer, yes they do! And they can be the ticket to the next stage of your
application or the means for your rejection.

Cover letters provide you the opportunity to demonstrate why you want the job and what you
can bring to the organisation. It’s also a great opportunity to demonstrate your written
communication skills.

If you want to find out how to write a graduate cover letter that sells, then this is the ultimate
guide for you!

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


What’s in a Cover Letter?
There are some standard and simple components that go into a cover letter.
These include:
1. Personal Details (name, address, telephone number, email)
2. Employer’s Details (name, job title, company name, address)
3. Content (we’ll cover this part in detail below)

Pretty simple right?

The Content

The content is the main component of the cover letter. There is a simple structure that you can
use for creating your content. You want your cover letter to sell, so you want to make sure you
structure your content as effectively as possible.

There are 5 main components to the structure of your content. To make this really simple, these
five components can simply and easily be communicated using 5 paragraphs in your cover
letter.

Let’s now get into the detail of each.

Paragraph 1: Introduction & Purpose

The first paragraph of your cover letter outlines the introduction and purpose. It has some core
components:

• Salutation
• Job title or position you are applying for
• How you found out about the job

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


Paragraph 2: Why You Want the Job

The second paragraph in your graduate cover letter outlines why you want the job.
In this section, explain how your studies, qualification and your career plan match the job that
you are applying for. You should also demonstrate that you know what the job, company and
industry want.

Paragraphs 3 and 4: Your Skills That Are Relevant For the Job

In the third and fourth paragraphs of your cover letter it’s time to demonstrate the skills that you
possess that are relevant for the job.

There are two types of skills that you can describe:


• Your technical skills
• Your general skills

Your technical skills are those that are specifically related to the tasks required to successfully
perform the job.

Paragraph 5: Closing

The final paragraph is your opportunity to ask the reader to refer to any attachments, such as
your resume and mention that you would be interested in an interview.

To close off the cover letter, use one of the following terms to keep it business-like and
professional:
• Thank you
• Regards
• Kind regards
• Sincerely
• With gratitude

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


Example Cover Letters

The following page has a cover letter example.

The Monash University Employment and Career Development Centre also has some great
examples of cover letters and links have been provided below for your use. It’s advised that you
don’t copy these (they are real graduate cover letters!) but instead use them to generate ideas
for your own cover letter.

• Commerce (pdf 434kb)


• Education (pdf 371kb)
• Engineering (pdf 420kb)
• Environmental Science (pdf 387kb)
• Information Technology (434kb)
• Law (Clerkships) (pdf 378kb)
• Medicine (pdf 201kb)
• Nursing (pdf 391kb)
• Pharmacy intern (pdf 230kb)
• Pharmaceutical science (pdf 332kb)
• Radiation therapy (369kb)
• Social work (pdf 379kb)
• Volunteering (pdf 310kb)

Wrapping Up

The cover letter can be your ticket to an interview and kicking off the process for launching your
career so it’s important you take the time to make it professional and make it sell.

John Smith

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


619 Main St.
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 0416 923 3xx
johnsmith@email.com

March 10, 2014

Sarah Jones
ABC Company
123 Business St.
Sydney, NSW 2000

Dear Ms. Jones,

I am writing to inquire about the position of Finance Management Trainee as advertised on


Gradrecruit (www.gradrecruit.com.au).

I have recently graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration majoring in Accounting &
Finance. Working for ABC Company will provide me with a strong platform to build my career in
the Banking and Finance industry and this role is in-line with my passion and career plan.

With a family background in finance, I am eager to contribute my abilities and experience to


ABC Company. I have received Credits and Distinctions for all of my course subjects and I have
previously had experience as an accounting intern at XYZ Company.

I have developed and demonstrated my strong leadership and communication skills in areas
such as captaining the Sydney University Soccer Team, acting as the team lead in the Finance
Presentation Masterclass and tutoring high school students in maths. I also have a strong ability
for planning and problem-solving as demonstrated when receiving first place in the Innov8
Challenge, 2013 – a competition designed for finding innovative solutions to everyday problems.

Please find my resume attached. Feel free to call me on 0416 923 3xx to arrange a suitable
time for an interview. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

John Smith

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au


www.gradrecruit.com.au

Did you find this useful?


If you found this useful, we would love for you to be able to support Gradrecruit by sharing this
information on your networks. The more people we have coming through Gradrecruit the more
of an impact we can make.

Do you want to work with Gradrecruit?


We’re hiring!

We are on the lookout for talented students to help us grow Gradrecruit.


If you’re keen to get real work experience with high visibility and you have the skills for a role
below, please get in contact with us at jobs@gradrecruit.com.au

Current vacancies:
• Programmer/Developer
• Graphics and Design
• Sales & Marketing
• Content & Community Manager
• Campus Reps

We would love to hear from you!

Please email jobs@gradrecruit.com.au with your details.

Are you an employer?


Gradrecruit provides consulting and outsourcing services for graduate recruitment strategy and
delivery. Please contact us on 1300 134 664 or email employers@gradrecruit.com.au for more
information on how we can support you in your recruitment.

Have a question or a suggestion?


Please feel free to email us directly at info@gradrecruit.com.au

Australia’s #1 Graduate Resource © Gradrecruit www.gradrecruit.com.au

Potrebbero piacerti anche