A focused Australian cover letter connects your strongest evidence to one role. Use the advertisement as the brief, keep the tone professional and direct, and check whether the employer asks for a separate response to key selection criteria.
Use a simple page with your name and contact details, the date, the employer or panel, a clear subject line and three to five short paragraphs. Address the hiring contact by name when the advertisement provides it; otherwise use “Dear Hiring Manager” or the panel title supplied in the instructions.
Open with the role you are applying for and one sentence showing why your experience fits. Use the middle paragraphs for two or three relevant examples, then close by making the next step easy. Keep the same name, dates and job terminology as your CV.
Name the role and connect your evidence to its advertised requirements.
Replace broad enthusiasm with a responsibility, action or result that is true.
Short paragraphs and clear spacing make the letter easier to scan.
Check organisation, programme, licence and the employer’s own terminology.
Include a separate KSC response, portfolio or statement when the vacancy requests one.
The CV is the evidence record: roles, dates, qualifications, skills and outcomes. The cover letter is the short argument for why that evidence matters for this role. Do not paste the CV into paragraphs or introduce achievements that cannot be found in it.
For the evidence record, start with a free Australian CV template or check the Australian CV format. You can then build the CV online and tailor the letter alongside it.
Copy this plain text structure and replace every bracketed prompt with your own details. Remove prompts before sending.
Replace the bracketed prompts, then tailor each paragraph to the role.
First check whether the vacancy asks for a separate KSC document. If it does, keep the cover letter concise and use the requested document for full STAR responses. If it does not, choose one or two criteria that best show your fit and name the evidence briefly.
Use a situation only to orient the reader, then explain your action and result. Follow the exact word limit and do not claim a result you cannot verify. See the key selection criteria guide for examples.
For a customer service role, connect the employer’s service requirement to a real example: “I resolved a high-volume queue by triaging urgent requests, documenting follow-up and checking the outcome with customers.” Add the actual setting and result from your experience.
For a government role, name the public-facing responsibility and the evidence behind it: “I prepared clear advice for stakeholders, recorded decisions and escalated issues through the required process.” Use the vacancy’s terminology only where it accurately describes your work.
Placements, volunteering, university projects and part-time work can demonstrate capability. Explain the context briefly, state what you personally did and connect it to the role without claiming an Australian equivalence for an overseas qualification unless it has been formally assessed.
Aim for a focused page unless the employer gives a different instruction. Use the space to connect your strongest evidence to the role, rather than repeating every line of your CV.
Follow the advertisement. If it asks for separate responses, keep the cover letter as an introduction and answer each criterion in the requested document. If it asks for a cover letter only, briefly connect your evidence to the stated requirements.
Prepare the evidence record first, then check it against the letter and the job advertisement.