Hi everyone,Does the covering letter really have to be formatted as an actual letter, with your address, their address and the date? Doesn't that mean you'll be wasting about half of the page on information that adds no value to your application?I've written a covering letter, but it isn't formatted like a letter (just has the content with my name at the top). It's a whole page, and I think I should cut it down a bit - but would have trouble cutting it down by the 50% or so it would take to include all the other guff.I should add this is all in the context of an online application, where you have to include your personal details, contact info and the actual position and office you're applying for anyway - the 'covering letter' just goes on as an attachment, along with the CV. So surely, when they're reviewing your application, there's no need to repeat the info twice, especially if you only have a limited amount of space?

PS: just to clarify - I mean you have to include all your personal details on a main application page anyway.

Format the cover letter like a letter. Imagine you are sending it through the post. Do this irrespective of whether it is an online application or not.

Format your covering letter as a formal business letter. Assume that it will be printed out and assessed alongside applications that have come in by post. Your application documents are used to assess your written communication skills and attention to detail as much as anything else. The content of your achievements is obviously important to cover in your application. However, there is a limit to how effectively you can differentiate them from other applicants' achievements within the space of a couple of pages. These things are truly tested in the later stages of recruitment so for the written application pay attention to the "superficial" aspects of the document itself.

What about when they ask you to email them directly, with a cover letter and CV.Do you turn your cover letter into the content of your email ("Dear Mr MC, I'm writing to ask you give me a job. You should hire me because...")Or, do you attach the cover letter as a separate document, complete with all the trimmings, and just put something like "Dear Mr MC, I'm writing to ask you give me a job. I'm really keen and have included my cover letter and CV for your perusal"??Or, do you write the email like a cover letter, but also attach a word document version, which they can print out along with your CV???Any thoughts or advice would be well appreciated!

I am wondering the same... Anyone has some advice for us?