When posting a CV to a prospective Cornwall employer should you always have a covering letter too? What should this contain? We at AllCornwallJobs want to help you in improving your chances of getting that fantastic job so here is our recommendations on covering letters.

Should you always have a covering letter?

Straightforward answer, YES!

A CV will tell a potential Cornwall employer of your career history, education etc but not the reason you are applying for their position with their employer. It also gives your CV a personal touch which shows to the business that you have made a particular effort to apply.

So what do you say to assist you in getting that job and making sure you stand out from the crowd?

Firstly, bear in mind that you are presenting yourself to a business person and your covering letter should reflect this:

• If the name of the receiver of the CVs is contained in the advert then make ensure you address it to them. For example, you might find ‘please apply to Mr Fred Bloggs, Cornwall branch’ at the bottom of the ad


• If it is not on the advertisement then telephone the organisation and ask for a name to address it to as it displays an extra effort. If their name is still not available then address it ‘Dear Sir/Madam’


• Remember to end with ‘Kind Regards’, ‘Yours Sincerely’ (if it’s to a named person) or ‘Yours Faithfully’ (if you have not been able to find out the name)


• You should do this also when applying to one of Cornwall recruitment agencies as they too will need to feel that you are suitable.

Secondly, remember that you are putting your best foot forward in particular relation to the job for which you are applying. The things you could want to include are:

• Say that you are attaching your CV for their reference for the Cornwall opportunity advertised.


• Express interest in the Cornwall position


• State briefly what you have been doing with your work history


• Mention the skills you are of the opinion you have and how you could apply them to this role


• Finally, State that you would be pleased to discuss this further if they would be kind enough to invite you to interview.

Try to be honest and passionate. Think about why you are applying, there must be reasons you feel that would be suitable for the job so explain that to them. A good covering letter could be more important than the CV itself particularly if you don’t have exactly the right skills or experience but feel that you can make up for it in others ways.

Remember to amend your covering letter for each job to which you apply so that it remains relevant and strong. Note: organisations such as Cornwall County Council / North Cornwall District Council jobs and Cornwall College jobs may not require covering letters as they have extensive online forms.

Best of luck with your job hunt.