am’; if you have written to a named person, conclude your letter with ‘Yours sincerely’, and for ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’, use ‘Yours faithfully’. You can give your letter a heading after the salutation, but it is not compulsory; in an emailed letter the heading will be the subject line of the email. • Paragraph 1: mention your situation (‘about to graduate with...’) and what you are applying for. Note that there is no need to start with ‘My name is...’ as your name will be at the end of your letter.
• Paragraph 2: why you want to work for the organisation specifically (show that you have researched them and the sector) and in the role that you’re applying for • Paragraph 3: why they should want you, showing how you meet their requirements (you can’t address all, so maybe the top 3 or 4) and selling your unique points (with some brief evidence) • Paragraph 4: any logistics (dates, availability) and a reference to an interview.
You decide: which sounds better?
I feel that I am the ideal person for the job as I am a high achiever and have excellent communication skills. I believe that I am good at teamwork and brilliant under pressure! or As evident in my CV, I have demonstrated the skills required for this position. During my time at UCT, I was twice elected as class representative and was Chairman of the African Business Society. In these roles I developed leadership and communication skills. My work experience in restaurants taught me how to perform well under pressure and I enjoyed working as part of a team.
Can you see that while the first example sounds rather boastful and weak, the second provides concrete evidence, making it sound more fac-
tual and enabling the reader to get a genuine picture of your skills and envisage you in the role?
university of cape town • careers service • cvs and cover letters
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