The cover letter which you write to a possible employer to search out your student job or graduate job with your CV is arguably just as important as the CV itself. It's an ideal opportunity for you to expand upon the skills and experiences that are highlighted in your CV whilst also enabling you to express a bit of your personality. There are two main types of cover letter which can be used to come with CVs - Advert Response and Speculative - and we will run through both in detail in the sections below.

Normally, when seeking a student or graduate job, covering letters should be no longer than one page, unless you have been given clear information on the contrary. It is important that they be written concisely and articulately.

Take your time over them; it is not recommended to do it quickly. It is also it's worthwhile to check that there are no spelling or grammatical errors as this is very possibly the employer's first impression of you. Make certain that it is a positive one. Presentation is clearly of the utmost important and, again unless specified, letters should always be typed and printed on quality paper!

Type 1: Advert Response Cover Letter

It is wise to make certain that you do match any crucial criteria specified in the job advert before you send in your application. For example, if a job advert specifies that the candidate must have 10 years experience in marketing, and you have only two years experience, there is almost certainly very little point in your applying for the student or graduate job. However, there are some circumstances in which some degree of flexibility may apply.

The first part should be quite brief and just detail where you saw the advert and on what date. In the main body of the letter you should then go on to highlight your skills and experience more fully. If certain criteria are mentioned in the advert, you should ideally try to shed light on exactly how you match these - with brief but relevant examples that demonstrate your suitability. Also, say why you want to work for that organisation in particular, referring to any research that you have carried out on the company to emphasise that you understand them and their line of business.

The final paragraph should probably conclude with any other information requested in the advert such as salary and availability for interview. And before you send it off, do read through the advert once more to ensure that you have fully satisfied their criteria, keeping an awareness of the specified deadline.

Type 2: Speculative Cover Letter

The principal content of a speculative letter follows very similar lines to the advert response type, but make sure once again to tailor the letter towards the organisation in question. The way you open and close the letter will of course also need to be different.

Even if you happen to be not replying to an advertisement, you must try to address the letter to a specific person rather than just stating "Dear Sir/Madam". You may well need to contact the business by phone ahead to find out the name of an befitting contact but it has been proven that letters addressed to a certain person do get better results. Once again, conduct some basic research into the company so that you can highlight the particular skills and competencies you have which are of relevance to the organisation.

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