Covering letters - sending them through email with CV

I'm jobhunting at the moment (graduate), and i wouldnt even consider sending a CV/covering letter through email. It's just far too easy for them to ignore!

Having said that, if they've requested it there specifically, then you should be ok. It could still get 'lost' though.
 
When I was last applying for jobs I nearly always attached it as a document.

In fact in some cases I merged the covering letter and CV into the same document to force them to at least look at it, as I felt it was a very strong letter.

I'm jobhunting at the moment (graduate), and i wouldnt even consider sending a CV/covering letter through email.
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5-10 years ago I probably would have agreed with you, but times are changing and internet (emailed) applications are fairly commonplace now, especially in certain industries. In fact in many ways it's actually better than a posted application because it's in electronic format already and hence can easily be emailed to other people, be printed off multiple times or whatever.

Attach a Read Receipt if you're worried about it getting lost.
 
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here is another question on the subject:

why do they ask for a cv then when they see you - give you a bloody fform to fill in! (waste of paper)
 
A2Z said:
what made it to strong? any tips?
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I had good feedback from employers who read it... here's the general approach I took. It remained largely unchanged as I was always applying for very similar jobs, but tailored slightly for the specific requirements of the job in question:

Paragraph 1: short, saying which position I'm applying for, where I saw it advertised and that I feel I'm ideally suited to it, basically a lead in to the nitty gritty.

Paragraph 2: Highlight my strong academic background in a succinct way (one sentence) so they don't brush over it in my CV, followed by experience relevant to the role and professional qualifications. Basically push any strengths you are particularly proud of but also show that you have experience related to the job spec you are applying for.

Paragraph 3: Slightly more general about my personal qualities, the wide range of people I've worked with and flexible approach to working

Paragraph 4: Summary of the key things I would bring to the role, listed as bullet points with the first word of each in bold (Experience, Qualifications, Communication, Mentality). Basically this drives home what I've written above .

Then the usual posh signoff about how much I'm looking forward to discussing the role further at interview yadayadayada.

I always make sure it fits on 1 page and edit it to fit if necessary. Nobody wants to read an essay and apart from anything else it looks stupid if the bullet point summary or signoff spreads onto another page! It's worded well using phrases I've developed over the years and thus gives the impression that I'm not just some lazy sod firing off a quick prospective application. For this reason it's also very important to tailor the letter to the role and make it obvious that you have, rather than just some generic template you've fired off to 100 companies. That said, as I mentioned before, don't miss out on the opportunity to highlight any particular strengths you may have too.

I think some people are wary of writing too much in a covering letter i.e. they don't just want to regurgitate what's in their CV. But remember that this is an opportunity to show that you have taken the time to research the job, by being selective in what you highlight in your letter. It also lets you illustrate your prowess at writing! Keep things flowing well and it should be well received.
 
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juju said:
here is another question on the subject:

why do they ask for a cv then when they see you - give you a bloody fform to fill in! (waste of paper)
Click to expand...

Two reasons I believe:

- They might have lost your copy or not printed out.

- When they look through your CV, it means you have a copy on hand as well and its a good prompt to have to talk about your life and careear.


E-mailing it as a PDF is also fine. I think they actually look more professional than a word document.
 
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