Write Your Graduate Cover Letter With Confidence & Win The Job

The two graduate cover letter samples below are there to give you some ideas of how best to express yourself and make the most of what you've learned. You can find all the expert careers advice you need in my Career Changer's Guide.

The first of two sample cover letters on this page is for an undergraduate seeking a summer job where he can use his skills and knowledge to good effect. The second graduate cover letter on this page is for an inexperienced graduate applying for an advertised job opening.

Most graduates won’t find the perfect job straight after graduation. There is sometimes a need for a period of adjustment and more often than not, that is when you will really begin your student job search.

You should use this period of transition to try out different jobs - you may have developed some useful skills on campus or in societies.

Take some time to find out what there is out there and don't rush straight into the first job that comes along.

Before you begin to write your first 'graduate cover letter', you should consider what you really need for your own personal fulfillment and what you want from your working life so that you can begin to build a solid foundation for your career. When you're ready you may also need an idea of how to write your CV so check this Graduate CV sample which you can copy if it will help you. Alternatively you can get me to write your CV for you.

A Graduate Cover Letter: Example 1

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Mr. James Someone
Somewhere Publications
Somewhere Way
London
United Kingdom
EC23 4DD

4 August 2010

Dear Mr. Someone

Having a very strong academic background, an outgoing personality, plus some interesting work experience in the music, media and PR industries gained whilst studying for my B.Sc. degree I am seeking a summer vacation position in which I can apply my high level of IT and photography skills and detailed knowledge of cars and motorsport should a suitable position be available.

What I can bring to such a position includes:

• Being very determined and quick to learn; I am focused and tolerant with a results-driven, logical and methodical approach to achieving tasks and objectives;
• My language skills: English (mother-tongue), Russian (fluent), Italian (very good), plus simple conversational Japanese and Arabic learnt in days.
• Being an articulate communicator and writer with an enhanced understanding of cultural differences. I can work effectively with people of different backgrounds.
• My high level of computer literacy: Adobe Photoshop CS, Pinnacle Studio, Windows Movie Maker. Windows OS, MS Office, peer-to-peer software and internet browsing packages.
• An extremely proficient photographer with inventive use of Adobe Photoshop CS: Photographs printed in Sir James Henderson School publications; collaboration with Import Bible on apparel design.

Along with my self-belief, I have the maturity, skills, and abilities to contribute positively to your organization whilst developing additional work based skills for my own future.

I will be available to attend interview any time this month, and I'd really welcome the opportunity of discussing this position with you. If I may, I will follow up this letter with a brief phone call to see if we can arrange a time to meet.

Yours Sincerely,

Matt Hardern
enc: CV

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A Graduate Cover Letter: Example 2

27 Appleton Meadows Wetherby WY12 3BU S. Yorkshire 01127 456789 Mr. James Court Yorkshire Investments Ltd. 39 Bedford Way Leeds LS23 4DD 4 October 2008 Dear Mr. Court Insurance Telesales Operator Having an outgoing personality, plus a total of 4 months successful vacation sales experience, and my recently completed degree, I am confident of being a strong candidate for a position of an Insurance Telesales Operator for Yorkshire Investments Limited. I have recently graduated from the University of Leicester with a degree in English & Marketing, where I was president of both the Business Leaders of Tomorrow group and the University Marketing Society. Although a recent graduate, I do not consider myself typical. I attended college in Cheshire and in Manchester and I supported myself by working at jobs in local radio advertising sales, magazine subscription sales, and bar-keeping work. All of these jobs have enhanced my interpersonal and sales skills and rounded out my formal education. In each case my employers were delighted with my skill and abilty to engage the client and make successful and sustained sales. I believe I have the maturity, skills, and abilities to establish a career in insurance sales with Yorkshire Investments, and living close to home in Yorkshire would be a real added bonus. I will be available to attend interview any time this month, and I'd really welcome the opportunity of discussing this position with you. If I may, I will follow up this letter with a brief phone call to see if we can arrange a time to meet. Yours Sincerely Michelle Barnes

Graduate Cover Letter ends...

The most effective graduate cover letter is one which is kept short and concise. Keep it simple, don't try to say too much and above all be polite and enthusiastic.

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Getting Cover Letters Help

Cover Letters that get you interviews are the MOST essential part of your job search and application process. And you need to realize that your letter is not just something to send with your Resume - it is your SALES letter!

Understand this: If you are writing to anybody for a job, whether the job has been advertised or not, your cover letter is more important than your CV or Resume; so if you want a successful career move you cannot afford to get this wrong.

There are two ways you can approach writing letters: you can do it yourself and hope for the best, or you can enlist some professional help.

The small cost involved for professional help is a great investment, because it means you instantly multiply the number of opportunities to land your dream job FASTER than you thought possible!

You can choose which type of professional help you prefer and learn HOW to create exceptionally powerful cover letters - a skill you retain for life, or you can go for the faster "fill in the blanks" approach for an amazingly powerful instant letter.

You can also get 23 Pre-Written Cover Letter Examples and cover letter writing guide which cover every situation, which comes as part of my Career Changer's Guide.

The graduate cover letter example above should get you off to a great start, but experiment with your own words until it sounds just right.

Go back to from Graduate Cover Letter to considering your career options or you can return to the Career Change home page.