Cover letters

The purpose of the covering letter is to create a favourable impression in the recipient’s mind. It will be sent with a CV when applying for an advertised vacancy or to make speculative applications to enquire about a possible job or work experience opportunity.

Your covering letter should:

• fit easily onto one page of A4;
• focus on the criteria from the opportunity advert or description;
• be written clearly and succinctly to highlight the most relevant skills;
• use space well and avoid very long paragraphs;
• convey your enthusiasm for the job and organisation;
• be addressed to a particular person where possible i.e. ‘Miss Brown’ instead of ‘Dear Madam’;
• end with either ‘Yours faithfully’ (if addressed to Sir or Madam) or ‘Yours sincerely’ (if addressed to a named person);
• be written in business language rather than overly-academic language. Use the list of useful key words in our CV and resumes section.

Using Generative AI

Gen AI can be useful for analysing job advertisements and drafting initial cover letters but are generally not good enough. Drafts often sound formulaic, lack personalisation, and may not highlight your experiences effectively. To create a competitive cover letter, it's important to carefully revise and tailor Gen AI drafts to reflect your unique strengths and motivations for the specific role you're applying for. Look at our Generative AI section for more information.

1. The introduction

Start by explaining who you are and why you're writing. This section may include:

• where you're studying and the course you're taking
• your expected grade (at least if it is a good one!);
• the position you're applying for and where you found it (e.g. company website, job board, careers fair;
• if this is a speculative application, state what you're seeking (e.g. internship, vacation work) and your availability;
•  any previous contact with the organisation (e.g. meeting representatives at an event).

2. Why you want to work for them

Demonstrate your genuine interest in the employer. Provide two to three specific reasons why you want to work for them:

• explain why you're drawn to this career area and their organisation in particular;
• mention relevant experiences, such as attending a company presentation or completing related work experience;
• show you’ve done your research; go beyond generic phrases like “challenging opportunities” or “team-based culture”
• highlight unique aspects of the company that appeal to you.

3. The ‘selling’ section

"Review this section carefully for every single application you make as the requirements will differ from employer to employer. Relevance is key to success."

A very important section where you make a compelling case for your suitability. Be selective with your examples rather than trying to cram in all your experiences:

• tailor this section to each application as employers have different requirements;
• highlight your most relevant skills and experiences with concise, focused examples;
• link your examples to the key skills required, e.g. “I developed strong communication skills as a Year Group Representative, liaising between staff and students to resolve academic concerns.”;
• draw from different areas of your background such as academics, work experience, extracurriculars etc.

4. Closing paragraph

Wrap up with a positive and professional tone:

• mention any attached documents (e.g. CV, application form);
• express enthusiasm about the possibility of an interview;
• indicate any dates when you may be unavailable.

As a research student or postdoc writing a covering letter, what you choose to highlight will depend on whether you're applying for a role within or outside of academia.

What to emphasise when applying for different kinds of work

Academic work

When applying for a postdoctoral or lectureship position, you may want to emphasise the following:

• research interests and experience;
• research techniques you are familiar with e.g. subject specific lab-based, software, modelling, simulations, GIS, risk assessment, and any other analytical problem-solving techniques;
• teaching, demonstrating, tutoring or supervising experience;
• publications – papers, book chapters, peer/journal club reviewing;
• conferences – presentations, including poster presentations;
• administrative experience e.g. helping with College/Department Open Days, welcoming new students, managing Health and Safety in your lab;
• financial/commercial awareness e.g. writing grant applications/proposals, buying supplies/equipment for the lab, managing lab or other budgets.

Industry

When applying for an industry based position in research, you may want to emphasise the following:

• research interests and experience;
• administrative experience;
• research techniques relevant to the post;
• key skills e.g. project management, creative problem-solving, negotiating and persuading, achieving results.

Sometimes, you might need to explain certain areas of your CV more fully to an employer.  The most common examples are gaps in your CV and grades not being as good as required/expected:

• Explain gaps, beyond a couple of months, in your CV, otherwise employers are most likely to jump to negative conclusions.
• If the gap was caused by an accident or an illness, it is useful to explain this.
• Cite, if possible, any problems, as an example of your resilience or your ability to overcome adverse circumstances.
• Explain any justification for disappointing A-level grades, otherwise your application may be rejected.  For example, illness or accidents or family problems or even a good teacher leaving can all have an impact on results which employers can appreciate.
• Highlight academic achievements from your current course, where appropriate, if A-level grades are a weaker area on your CV.
• Don't focus heavily on negatives, but don't give a weak excuse and don't lie! Show how you have turned a potentially negative situation into a positive one
• If the situation is personal or complicated, you could touch on it but state that  you are happy to discuss it at interview

Some students choose to discuss their disability, neurodivergent condition or other health condition in the cover letter. The main reason for this is to ask for adjustments during the recruitment process. For further information and guidance on doing this, see our page on careers and disability.