Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Cover letter problems

  • 05-12-2010 9:11pm
    #1
    Alliandre
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭


    I have a couple of problems writing a cover letter and I'm hoping someone can help. First of all, is it necessary to include one when applying for a job advertised by an ageny? A cover letter is supposed to be tailored for a specific job/company, but ageny adverts are often vague and don't mention the company name. There's also no guarantee that there's an actual job available.

    Secondly, in a cover letter you're supposed to bullsh!t about all your wonderful acchievements. What do you do if you've just worked in retail and basic admin jobs and have nothing special to talk about? I might be a good, efficient worker in the same job for years, but haven't saved the company millions or something. I've just done normal clerical stuff. How do you talk up that?


Comments

  • #2
    looksee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,095 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    Yes, if in doubt, enclose a covering letter. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It does not have to be a long screed of a thing, an opening paragraph saying what you are applying for, a few lines about why you want the job and what you have to offer, and a polite closing sentence. Make sure it is neat, grammatically correct and with accurate spelling.

    You can briefly point out how your experience is relevant to the job you are applying for, that you are reliable and able to use your initiative.

    No-one is expecting you to have changed the world, but if you think about people you have worked with who were a bit useless, how you dealt with the job is the comparison you are looking for. Keep it brief and professional, no-one is going to read a long waffly letter.

    Good luck :)


  • #3
    Eoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,263 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Your CV is for saying how good you are, the cover letter should be as specific as possible to the company and/or job that you're applying for. As looksee said, you should match your experience to the job, and how you would benefit them.

    If you're applying to an agency, then an email should suffice as a cover letter. I'd normally do the same if I was applying directly to a company as well, but some people would attach a separate document as well.


Advertisement