The dos and don’ts of writing a job cover letter | The Perfect Resume

Best Resume Cover Letter Examples



Your job cover letter is one of the essential pieces of your job application puzzle. It's your chance to show off your writing skills and explain why you’re perfect for the job. But there are a few best resume cover letter examples you should avoid doing if you want to make a good impression.

The dos and don’ts of writing a job cover letter

This article will discuss some of the dos and don’ts of writing a job cover letter. We’ll also give you tips on making yours stand out from the crowd.

Job Cover Letters for Interview-winning Applications

Cover letters are important when you are looking for a job. They show the employer that you care about the job and are serious about getting it.

Let’s look at a job advertisement for a Youth Case Worker (Social Worker)

Youth Case Worker (Social Worker)

Newcastle, Maitland & Hunter

Community Services & Development

Child Welfare, Youth & Family Services

 

The Organisation

Kurri Kurri Community Services (KKCS) has been a social enterprise supporting communities in the Hunter Region for over 35 years. We operate a portfolio of not-for-profit businesses that provide support and services to individuals, families, businesses, and other community-based organisations. Kurri Kurri Community Services is experiencing an increasing demand for our services in the Hunter region and New South Wales. 

 

We are looking for community-minded and business-savvy individuals to join us on our journey! 

 

Our Vision 

Our Vision is stronger and more resilient communities where people unite to empower and support one another – ensuring all community members can live, work, learn and socialise as they choose. 

 

The Benefits

We offer employees a supportive work environment with challenges and opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge in the Community Services Sector.

  • Generous salary based on skills and experience. 
  • A family-friendly workplace
  • Flexibility and work-life balance
  • Ongoing skill development and support
  • Friendly Team Culture
  • Attractive Salary packaging benefits 

 

What we are looking for

KKCS are looking for a Youth Case Worker (Social Worker) to join our Youth Services Team to support young people in the Cessnock area. We require resilient high-level communicators with experience working with young people to support and guide them through their daily lives. A person passionate about our community and enriching the lives of others with collaborative mentorship. 

 

Our goal is to enrich the lives of young people and to do this, we value every one of our staff and empower them to work in a supportive and collaborative manner to build an outstanding service. This position is offered on a fixed-term basis until June 2023; the opportunity is to work 22.0 hours per week. The days of work can be negotiated with the successful applicant.  

 

As a Youth Case Worker, you will:

  • Support young people from year 6 to year 12 with Generalist Counselling
  • Provide local families with Family Capacity Building casework 
  • Offer intake and assessment to young people referred to our service 
  • Deliver young people quality evidence-based, and evidence-informed information and advice 
  • Refer young people and their families to programs and services matched to their identified and expressed needs. 
  • Give young people evidence-based and evidence-informed programs in group settings. 
  • Demonstrate the values of the child-centred, strengths-based practice Respect and respond to the individual needs and preferences of the child/or young person.
  • Uphold clear professional boundaries
  • Conduct administration duties with adherence to company processes and policies, and maintain accurate and detailed records. 
  • Develop young people to build and achieve their goals

 

Essential Criteria:

  • Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills include working and communicating effectively with young people, their families, internal and external stakeholders, and management. 
  • Understand and demonstrate safe work practices and adhere to organisation policies and procedures.
  • Proven ability to work autonomously and also within a multi-disciplinary team. 
  • Degree in Social Work or other equivalent qualification
  • Experience providing generalist counselling to children and young people.
  • Demonstrated ability to engage and work with young people. 
  • Sound knowledge and understanding of issues confronting young people, particularly within the Cessnock Local Government Area 
  • Strengths-based case management experience with the ability to engage families and young people at the point of initial contact and build collaborative working relationships
  • Sound knowledge of NSW Child Protection Reporting and the Safe Child Standards 
  • Computer skills and the ability to complete all documentation to meet compliance standards 
  • Current drivers’ licence and reliable vehicle which is comprehensively insured
  • Cleared National Criminal History Check not more than 12 months old
  • Cleared Working with Children Check (WWCC)
  • Proof of COVID Vaccine Status- including third booster shot. 
  • Willingness to undergo thorough checks from the Department of Communities and Justice

 

Desirable Criteria:

  • Previous experience facilitating group work with young people in an education setting 
  • Previous experience providing Family Capacity Building casework 

 

KKCS is an EEO employer and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and abilities. Applicants from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants are required to provide work-related reference checks and undergo a National Criminal Record Check. This position is classified as child-related work. All applicants must provide their Working with Children Check (paid employment) clearance from the NSW Office of Children’s Guardian.

 

Further information may be obtained from the website

www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au .

 

Please submit an up-to-date resume outlining your skills and experience via Seek.

A well-written job cover letter is essential if you’re looking to apply for the Youth Case Worker position at KKCS. To make your application stand out, follow these simple tips:

Get through to the right person

The best person to whom to address your cover letter is the person who will decide whether or not to interview you. Not only do letters addressed to a specific person achieve better results, but letters that actually reach the decision maker have an even higher chance of being interviewed. For example, if you are applying for the Youth Case Worker (Social Worker) job above, you don’t have a specific name; therefore, do some research to find out who the decision maker is for the job you want. The job posting or company website may give you this information. If not, try calling the company and asking them directly.

Communicate clearly, concisely, engagingly and articulately

Your letter needs to be easy for the reader to scan quickly and effectively. Take your time to phrase your thoughts carefully; do not rush yourself. Make sure you get your message across. For example, if you are applying for the Youth Case Worker (Social Worker) job above, the key details you want to convey include:

  1. How your skills and experience fit the job requirements
  2. Your motivation for applying for this job
  3. Why you want to work for this particular organisation

Tell a good story

Like all the best stories, the best letters have a strong and clearly defined beginning, middle and end. It's important to make sure your letter is structured logically. Capture their attention, make an impact, maintain their interest and finish with a strong closing paragraph.

Target/tailor your job cover letter

You should always tailor your letters according to the specific organisation you are applying to. A carefully targeted letter can easily mean the difference between success and failure. Nobody likes to be spammed.

Here is an example cover letter for the Youth Case Worker (Social Worker) position

 

Dear Hiring Manager,

 

Re: Youth Case Worker (Social Worker) opportunity

 

I am excited to apply for this job because I have the relevant qualifications and experience that you are looking for. For example, I have a degree in Social Work and experience working with children and young people in counselling.

 

In my current role as a Social Worker, I have been conducting home visits and working with families to address presenting issues. My experience has taught me how to build rapport and work collaboratively with families and young people. Furthermore, as a resident in the Cessnock Local Government Area, I am familiar with the issues confronting young people, particularly youth crime.

 

Throughout my career, I have developed excellent communication skills, which I believe would enable me to engage effectively with young people, their families, internal and external stakeholders, and management.

 

I have enclosed my resume and contact details for your perusal. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this job further with you and look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Kind regards

Your name

 

In summary, writing a cover letter is not rocket science! Most of what I have outlined is reasonably simple to take on board, and it’s just a matter of putting in the necessary time and effort.

Check your spelling and your grammar

Before sending off any resume or cover letter, ensure you have read through it carefully and that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. It’s always a good idea to ask someone else to double-check it.

 

If you want help writing your resume or cover letter, The Perfect Resume Team is here to help. Simply send your resume and the link to the position you would like to apply for to info@theperfectresume.com.au. We can review what you have, provide some feedback and recommend the solutions that best suit your needs. Alternatively click here to view our social worker resume writing services. 

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