Resumes or CVs and
The Cover Letter:
The rules.

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Some creative roles may mean that you need to show your quirky character, but don't forget the objective of the cover letter: To stop the 'sifter' in his or her tracks. To get your Resume or CV read.

A cover letter that is generic and says little or nothing will be invisible, and the response will likely be little or nothing.

Remember that the person reading the cover letters has perhaps hundreds of applications to work through. All they may have time to do is read your cover letter, and skim read your Resume. Your Melbourne Resume or CV must write to what they want, not everything that you could do or have done.

Melbourne Cover letters and ATS - Applicant Tracking Software

With sometimes hundreds of applicants for each position in Melbourne's job market, in many cases a person is unlikely to read your application until is has been screened through applicant tracking software (ATS). This software is designed to weed and discard those applications that have not addressed the selection criteria in their Resume or CV and cover letter. Only if you pass this test will your application be read by a real person.

Every word in your Melbourne job application should be working for you. It should be stated and substantiated, 'I am the best candidate, you need to meet me so that I can prove that I am the best person for the job'.

Can you use the same Melbourne cover letter for jobs with the same job title?

Do not fall into the trap of thinking this is the same type of job as the last one I applied for, so I can just change the name of the recruiter on the cover letter and I can save myself time. This is so far from the truth. Every hiring organisation in Melbourne will have its own set of selection criteria you must address in your job application (Melbourne Resume or CV and Cover Letter). If you fail to follow their instructions, you will not be asked to attend an interview. Therefore every cover letter that accompanies your Melbourne Resume or CV should be customised for the employer's selection criteria. Especially in today's tough Melbourne job market.

The rules of writing a good Melbourne cover letter

• Above all else, put yourself in the employer's position. Write to meet their needs, not your own

Formatting your Melbourne cover letter

• Put your contact details on everything, including your Melbourne Resume or CV, cover letter and the statement addressing the selection criteria if required by the employer.
• Add a telephone number to both your cover letter and Melbourne Resume or CV. Your personal number, not work number.
• Where you live can speak volumes - so if you don't want people to assume - leave your address off your Melbourne CV or Resume and Cover Letters.
• Add your personal email address to your cover letter. Make it professional, not [email protected] or some other cutesy name - that speaks volumes about you as a person.
• Gmail (and others) is a free email service; all that you need is access to the Internet. When you create your email address, avoid using anything that devalues your brand. Don't use nicknames, age or year of birth, pet names, or hobbies. An effective email address is firstname.surname@
• If you have hotmail, get a Gmail account. Hotmail is notorious for hitting the SPAM filters. Not much point creating a Melbourne Resume and job application if it doesn't get through to the employer!
• The Melbourne cover letter should be dated.
• The Melbourne cover letter should ideally be addressed to a person. If no name is provided in the application use Dear Hiring Manager instead of Dear Sir or Madam.
• Always state the job reference and which job you are applying for in the cover letter. This is essential to make sure your Melbourne Resume or CV and Cover Letter gets through to the right person or department. If you are sending out a speculative cover letter, inform the organisation that you are available for work. For example, "I read in The Age that your organisation is hiring and I am interested in discussing any opportunities that might be available."

The body of the Melbourne Cover Letter

• You should next summarise the skills, knowledge and experience you possess, and most importantly, use those that are set out in the employer's advertisement and/or selection criteria.
• Even if you are sending out a speculative Melbourne Resume mailing, you should always tailor the cover letter to the organisation that is hiring in Melbourne. Show that you've done a bit of research on them. Mention the organisation’s great reputation, sales growth, corporate culture or charitable record.
• Make sure the Melbourne cover letter is succinct. It should get people into your Resume or CV, not replace it.
• In your Melbourne cover letter, you should give your availability for a meeting. This shows professionalism and initiative. If you are working away on FIFO for example, give them alternative contact details so that you don't miss out if invited to interview. Video and telephone interviews may be an option.

Melbourne Cover Letters and Signature Panels

• Remember your Melbourne cover letter is a business document so finish with "Yours Sincerely, Your Full Name"

Finalising your Melbourne Cover Letter

• Do you have to provide hard copies, or take them to the head office in Carlton or St Kilda? If so, when printing out your cover letter and Melbourne Resume or CV, use standard A4 size white paper and black ink. Use one font throughout your application. This may seem trivial, but it makes your application easier to read. Colour Resumes may not be printed in colour so be mindful of the scheme you choose or it could be impossible to read.
• Provide the Melbourne Cover letter and Resume documents in the format asked for by the organisation. If in doubt save and upload as PDF as this works without expensive third party software like Word/Office.

If you have been asked to email your Melbourne Resume or CV to a recruiter, you should treat the body of the email as you would a cover letter. Pick out a key point based on the Melbourne selection criteria and use that to draw the recruiter into downloading and reading your resume.

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