Components of a Good Cover Letter

Original Editor - Kim Cusack Top Contributors - Kim Cusack and Kim Jackson

Introduction

A cover letter should be the preface of any effective CV. Cover letters explain why you want the job and what makes you the right person for it. Below are our suggested components that should be included in your cover letter:

•  Your address and contact details

• Address of where you are sending CV to – i.e. address of employer

• State what job you are applying for

• State who you are – i.e. ‘I am a 2012 physiotherapy graduate from University College Dublin where I achieved a 2.1 honours degree

• Any previous degrees

•  Brief description of clinical placement that is relevant to the job you are applying for, eg, have you worked in that hospital before, what areas did you cover there, clinical placements you have completed eg musculoskeletal placements for a sports physio job. ‘know who you are talking to’ ie if the hospital has a specific speciality, describe how your experience would suit this.

•  Post graduate experience: any physio relevant work eg, private practice, volunteer work, sports team work

•  What you feel you can bring to the job, based on the experience you have gained

• Courses you have done that are relevant (CPD), and how you feel these courses add to your experience

•  Make sure cover letter is chronologically written: arrange events in order of when they occurred in time.

•  Different cover letter for each job you apply to, not one standard letter

•  ISCP membership status

•  Good finishing statement, thank employer for reading your CV/considering you for the post. ‘I am available for interview at your convenience’
  

NB: Letter should be informative and to the point. It should be concise and not too long (no longer than 1 page). It should be relevant to the job you are applying for. Cover letter should be signed and dated if you are posting it. Good layout, no crazy fonts, legible font size.