The goal of your cover letter is to demonstrate why you should be selected for an interview, therefore always make an individualised letter for each job application.

• Include your relevant contact information: In recent years the order of your contact information has changed i.e. your email or LinkedIn profile might be above your mobile number.
• Appropriate Salutation: Try to avoid using ‘Madam/Sir’ and instead address the person who will be receiving the application. If their name is not listed anywhere, you can use ‘Dear Hiring Manager’
• Highlight your most important qualifications: Your resume will contain a lot of information about your experience and skills, but your cover letter is the best time to draw the reader’s attention towards your most relevant qualifications and skills.
• Relate your experience to the job requirements: Link back your qualifications to the requirements of the job descriptions – try to apply each requirement to one qualification, experience or skill
• Write professionally: This includes avoiding a casual register or colloquial language throughout the letter as well as choosing an appropriate closing – such as ‘Best Regards’ etc.

Once you have written the letter, make sure you review it carefully. Making grammatical errors or spelling mistakes is not only unprofessional but indicates sloppiness.