Page 83 - James Caan - Get the Job you Really Want

ease, and would usually be promoted within companies he was
working for. But whenever he applied for a role in management,
he never got an interview. Here was someone driven, focused,
enthusiastic – but what was the one thing he had forgotten to
mention in his C V? He had been promoted four times in one

particular year, and he didn’t put that in. No wonder he was not
being called in for an interview.

What about the covering letter?

A covering letter is a much undervalued part of the C V package.
Some candidates don’t even bother – which can lead to their

C V going straight in the bin. Or they treat it as an extra hassle.
I have seen many, many covering letters that are bland, unthink-
ing and careless.

Think of the covering letter as an additional platform to sell
yourself and your suitability for the job.
The letter should be short and to the point (some employers
also like it to be handwritten as it shows personal style and that
you can spell without the help of a spellchecker). Two para-

graphs should do the trick: paragraph A would be the details of
the requirements for the job, and paragraph B would be why you
have exactly that experience and can rise to those challenges.

Focus on the key words you picked up from the advert or
the job spec or the online description. If I read a covering letter
that says, ‘I am responding to the job of Finance Director that
you advertised, running a department of six people,’ almost

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