Jobs

To stand out in any job application, you are usually going to need a covering letter. This is you way of explaining why you want the job, what you can bring to it and how your skills would be relevant. It allows you to add more than just sending in a CV, which is why this part of an application is so important.

The most important thing is to make sure your cover letter is written eloquently and professionally, meaning no spelling or grammar mistakes. These will make you stand out for all the wrong reasons. Ask someone else to proofread your application before you send it in.

Be concise – nobody wants a cover letter that is too long. At the same time, make sure all the important points are in there and you have written enough to sell yourself. Employers want to know what you are like and what drives you, so make sure this comes across.

When we are in school, we are always told to work hard so we can get good qualifications and a decent job at the end of it. But just how much do qualifications actually matter when we are looking for a job?

The standard qualifications most people get are GCSEs. Many roles will require you to have a C at GCSE in important subjects, like maths or English. This shows that you have been committed enough to achieve these grades, and shows a general level of intelligence, making GCSEs very important in the job market.

High education becomes more complicated. Some degrees and programmes will be vocational and will lead directly into a job, whereas others will be more academic. Employers may look favourably at an academic degree, or they may not see it as relevant depending on their own person position on the matter. A degree can be a great experience, but make sure you only enter into higher education because you really want to do it, not because you think you will be able to get a better job – this may or may not be the case.

When looking for a new job, it’s so important to write a coherent and eloquent application. Even if writing won’t form one of your main duties at work, an employer wants to know that you are a strong communicator. Written English cannot be ignored.

To start with, you need to be able to make your CV legible. If it is not structured correctly and cannot be read easily, employers will bypass it. You don’t need to use complex language – just ensure that it is fluent and makes perfect sense.

Covering letters are just as important. They are your opportunity to make your application a little bit more personal, so they need to be well written. Use persuasive language to convince your potential future employer that you will be right for the role and emphasise why you want to work there.

Remember, good spelling and grammar will show good attention to detail. It will be difficult to prove to someone that you will make a conscientious and hard-working employee if your job application looks lazy and haphazard. Read and re-read it many times over and ask someone else to proofread it for you. Submitting a high-quality application that is right shows you have initiative and are willing to go out of your way to do something well.

It’s becoming far easier to earn money and make a living from your writing skills, and there are a number of different capacities in which you can work as a writer. The key to success is knowing where to begin and how to break into your desired field.

It’s important that you know about the different sectors in which you’re able to work as a writer. Working as a journalist is very different to writing novels for a living. Once you’ve got into the industry of your choice and have established yourself as a skilled writer, a variety of different options will open up to you. Everybody needs a starting point.

Get a portfolio together. To apply for almost any writing job, you will need to be able to show what you can do. If you have no previous writing experience, you will probably need to take on some unpaid projects. It can be frustrating putting your heart and soul into work which doesn’t have any immediate benefit, but in the long term, it will pay off.

If you’re in a position to study further, enrol on a course. This could be anything from a local creative writing course to a university degree in English Literature. Having qualifications is a great way to prove your worth as a writer and it will give you plenty of opportunities to hone your skills.