Your cover letter
England's National Careers Service says a cover letter is a short letter, usually 3 to 5 paragraphs. It says to always send one when you apply with a CV.
- Write a new one for every job, tailored to the employer and the role.
- Use the same keywords the employer uses in the ad.
- In New Zealand, official advice is to keep it to 1 page, and not to repeat everything in your CV.
Say why you want this job. Then point to two or three results that match what the ad asks for.
Tailor your resume
Update your resume for each job, using information and keywords from the ad. New Zealand's careers service suggests 2 pages if you can.
Norms differ by country and sector. Australia's public service guide says most CVs are two to six pages. US federal jobs allow two pages at most. Follow the ad if it sets a limit.
Answering selection criteria
Selection criteria list the skills, knowledge and experience a job needs. Some ads ask you to answer each one in writing.
Australia's public service guide says to answer each criterion. Explain how you have shown that skill or quality. If a word or page limit is set, stick to it.
Many APS agencies now want just a CV and a pitch of one or two pages.
Use STAR for each example
The National Careers Service suggests the STAR method for applications as well as interviews:
- Situation: the situation you had to deal with
- Task: the task you were given
- Action: the action you took
- Result: what happened because of your action, and what you learned
Spend most of your words on the action. Say "I", not "we". Give a number in the result if you can.
Keep to the limits
Treat a word or page limit like the closing date. Use most of it, and never go over.
Our free word counter counts as you type, against the ad's limit.
A selection criteria answer, in STAR form
Here is a made-up answer to one selection criterion.
Made-up example
Priya, a recent graduate applying for an office administration role
Question
Situation
Task
Action
- I set up a shared spreadsheet for all 23 festival costs, with a due date for each.
- I held a 20-minute check-in with the festival lead every week.
- I chased late invoices a week before they were due, not after.
- I kept a list of what we could cut if we went over budget.
Result
It proves organisation and deadlines with facts: a number of costs, a budget and a result.
Questions
How long should a cover letter be?
Usually 3 to 5 paragraphs, or one page. Follow the ad if it sets a limit.
Do I always need a cover letter?
England's National Careers Service says to always include one when you apply with a CV. If the ad says not to send one, don't.
Can I use the same examples in my application and interview?
Yes. Your application examples are a good base for interview answers. Have a few more ready, so you can pick the best fit.
Sources
Written by Seal the Offer from these pages, last checked on . Rules change, so check the employer's own page and the job ad before you apply.
- How to write a cover letter · National Careers Service (England)
- The STAR method · National Careers Service (England)
- How to write a cover letter · Tahatū, Tertiary Education Commission (NZ)
- How to write a CV · Tahatū, Tertiary Education Commission (NZ)
- 3. Applying for an APS job: cracking the code · Australian Public Service Commission