APPLICATION LETTER

Choose a job you are suited to, and always do some research about the company before an interview into the sorts of careers available and identify those that match your ambitions, personality, skills, interests, qualifications and experience.

■ Don’t waste your time, and that of the recruiter, by applying for jobs that you are simply not qualified for.

■ Be proactive. A new job won’t find you – you have to find it.

■ Make use of all the job-hunting techniques available from more traditional methods such as newspapers and recruitment agencies to social media, company websites and specialised online recruiters.

■ Network! Take every opportunity to meet prospective employers through attending careers fairs or other events held locally or at school.

■ Make speculative applications. Not all opportunities are advertised but if you explain why you are the perfect candidate for a company you want to work for, they are likely to keep your details on file and get in touch if a suitable vacancy arises.

■ Get your CV and cover letter prepared and keep it up to date with any new qualifications or experience.

■ Make sure you have a professional LinkedIn profile. Many recruiters ONLY look for candidates through LinkedIn so having a strong profile is vital. YOUR cover letter is just as important as your CV, as it is often the first document a recruiter will see on you, so it has to be spot on.

Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes and that you have followed any instructions included in the job advert, such as addressing it to a particular person or department.

Make sure the letter contains accurate and up to date contact information – if you change your mobile number or email address, edit these on your letter (and your CV).

Do your homework. Research the company and the job role you are applying for and use the cover letter to explain both why you want this job and why you’re a suitable candidate.

Perhaps the company has launched a new product or service recently – use the letter to impress the recruiter with your understanding of their business.

Emphasise aspects of your experience that are most relevant to the advertised role. This could be experience gained at school, part-time work or extracurricular activities.

Your cover letter, like your CV, should be updated for each different job you apply for to make sure you are highlighting the skills the recruiter is looking for.

Include a ‘call to action’ at the end of the letter and be confident about the next steps. State that you would appreciate an opportunity to discuss the application at an interview.

Why not suggest that you will call them in a week’s time?

■ James Innes is the author of several best-selling career help books and founder of CVcentre.co.uk