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The advert: What they want
Job adverts generally list what an employer is looking for, but don't be put off if you don't meet every requirement. 'It's still worth going for it because very few people are going to hit everything,' says Judy Rose, psychologist at Cheshire-based human resource consultant The Icarus Partnership, part of Obvious Solutions Ltd.
Don't try to hide the fact that you're missing one or two requirements. The recruiter will see straight through it. Instead, a well-written covering letter can fill those gaps in a positive way, playing to your strengths.
Rose suggests phrases like: 'Although I haven't had much experience of the ... sector, my time at ... means that I could hit the ground running.'
Your covering letter: Tailor-made for success
Your covering letter will inform the employer's first impression, so tailor it to the job you've applied for. If the advert asks for specific information (salary, location, etc.) put it in the covering letter. If the advert lists four or five must-haves, use your covering letter to draw attention to how you meet each of these prerequisites.
And beware - you have just half a minute to impress. Lisa Nickels is a managing director of Intuity Resourcing - a company specialising in secretarial and admin recruiting. She says recruiters initially spend an average of just 30 seconds looking over each application letter and CV.
Not surprisingly, she points out that the covering letter must be clear, concise and professional, drawing attention to relevant skills and experiences, and with no spelling mistakes. If the job is in a modern, trendy industry, you could even make some keywords bold, but don't go for gimmicks unless you're certain that they're appropriate.
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