cover letter format for new zealand

Simple New Zealand

How To Master a Cover Letter for New Zealand [Examples & Tips]

Although you might don’t want to, yet in most cases, you need to include a cover letter when applying for a job in New Zealand. NZ cover letter is similar to other countries; it should show the company why you are the right candidate for the job. Take your time to write a personal and customized letter. Never send the generic one; this can ruin your application from the start.

A cover letter is a monumental part of your job application in New Zealand. A good cover letter should answer the main question, which is why the company should hire you. Additionally, it must provide information on how you can bring value to the company and help them with the challenges. A cover letter should showcase the relevant skills and experience you have.

In most cases, businesses and recruiters in New Zealand will require you to attach a customized cover letter. And it’s a good thing for you. In the end, the cover letter is a claim for the role – it’s your chance to highlight and match your experience against the job description and to clearly state what you can offer your potential employer.

If you are looking for a job in New Zealand, I would highly recommend going through the Job Hunter’s handbook made by Careers.govt.nz.

Table of Contents

Is a cover letter necessary in New Zealand?

Unfortunately, yes, you need to include a customized cover letter when applying for a job in New Zealand. Almost  half of the recruiters reject applications without a cover letter. A high-quality, customized cover letter tells the manager you are a dedicated professional. It should be only a page long.

A resume or CV alone can show your achievements and qualifications, but it can’t tell the story and explain why you choose this company in particular. That’s why we need a cover letter. It’s also a great tool to show your personality and motivation. It must show the employer you are an asset to their company.

Are you resigning from your previous job? Read how to write a proper resignation letter .

Resignation Letter in New Zealand (Examples + Template)

Tips and guidance for a winner cover letter.

So what is a cover letter, and why it’s so important for your job application in New Zealand?

• Cover letter is your first point of contact with employers .
• It should fit on one page .
• It needs to explain why you want this job .
• It should relate to your CV .
• It should describe your relevant skills, experience, and accomplishments .
• It should show the evidence that you have researched the company and that you are the right candidate.

If you follow these simple statements, you should already be able to create a decent letter. Yet, if you want more, read this article to the end and follow the advice.

The winning tactic here is focusing on  them , not just on  you,  which will ultimately make you stand out from other applicants

When writing your cover letter, pay attention to the following:

• Do very extensive research about the company. Show it in the cover letter.
• Reflect on the company’s vision.
• Highlight specific achievements and successes that show you can address the challenges the employer is facing.
• Show your personality.
• Prove that you understand the challenges of the company.
• Explain your motivation and fit for the position.
• Presents how your skills and experience as a solution for the company.
• Create a list of job keywords that are mentioned in the job ad. Include them in the cover letter.
• Address the cover letter to the right person, e.g., the hiring manager or recruiter
• Be clear and concise
• Have a structure in the letter – beginning, middle, end
• Use active words to describe your work – accomplished, achieved, led, created, increased, identified
• Finish with a call to action and ask for a meeting.
• Try to be funny
• Send a generic cover letter — customize each one for the specific job.
• Forget your full contact details
• Generic and boring opening paragraph
• Copy-paste from the CV or job ad
• Start every sentence with “I”
• Write more than one page

Looking for a job? Check out the best recruitment agencies in New Zealand .

Best Recruitment Agencies in New Zealand 2024

1. Research about the company and position

Your knowledge about the company you are applying to work for is crucial. You must also know all the essential details about the advertised position and how your skills and experience fit in.

When someone reads your cover letter, they must be sure you are the right candidate for this position and for this company. That’s why you must include as many tailored to the job ad details as possible (yet not too many).

So, look for information on the company, its key products or services, its mission, and anything else that gives you an insight into them. Notice the most important details and mention them in the cover letter where appropriate.

You might want to check out the company’s website, its executives’ Twitter feeds, and LinkedIn profiles.

The culture of the organization is vital to note. This will influence your communication style. For instance, you might be more casual with start-ups or advertising agencies but more formal with banks and large corporations.

2. Show how you can help

A company hires you to solve a problem or to help with challenging tasks they are unable to manage. Point out the things you can do for a company and which potential results it might bring. Or maybe you already were challenged with similar tasks? Mention it in your cover letter!

3. Why are you a perfect fit?

The second paragraph of your cover letter should give a clear idea to the reader why you are the one and that you will satisfy the company’s specific needs.

Here you should match the keywords mentioned in the job ad with your skills and experience. You also must show the hiring manager why you want this job, not just any job. Include all the enthusiasm and passion you have.

Match your skills with a job ad

Highlight the key skills and qualities in the ad, e.g.:

• strong written and verbal communication
• technical skills
• analytical thinking
• team player or teamwork
• problem-solving
• time management
• knowledge of software & tools
• specialized or technical competencies
• high level of computer competency
• ability to work well under pressure
• enthusiasm and initiative
• excellent customer service

Include them in the cover letter with real-life examples.

Connections matter in New Zealand

About 70% of all jobs in New Zealand are so-called hidden. They are simply not advertised because hiring managers seek candidates within the company, their circle of colleagues, and people they know before they post a job ad. For that reason, having connections in New Zealand is very crucial.

You are more likely to be invited to an interview if you know a friend of a friend and they got a reference they you rather than just based on your qualifications and experience.

That might be good news for some and bad news for others. Nonetheless, it’s highly recommended to start networking as soon as you land in New Zealand. Join groups, participate in social and professional events, work on your Linkedin profile, and just be proactive.

And if you are lucky to know someone in the company you are applying to work for, mention it in the first sentence or two of your cover letter.

Don’t forget to include

Your cover letter shouldn’t miss these small but key elements:

Your personal value and personality

While skills and experiences are indeed critical, New Zealanders love human connection. If they find you an interesting and nice person, they are more likely to move forward with your application.

Try to be personal in your cover letter; tell them more unique things about you and your experience. Avoid being general at any cost.

Reflect on your experience that relates to the job ad and company profile. What challenges have you faced, and how did you solve them? You also want to provide evidence of the things you mention by using concrete examples, situations, numbers, and facts. For example:

“During the last quarter, my company was challenged by the supply shortage of …We have had 200% more orders than we can ever fulfill. To solve this problem, I was on the lookout for new suppliers for several weeks; after dozens of selling calls, I finally managed to sign a contract with our best supplier so far. I will never come across them otherwise.”

Your enthusiasm

In many cases, people don’t get hired because they aren’t enthusiastic and convincing enough. So, it’s not the lack of skills; it’s your desire and how you show it. If you make it as if it was your dream job, you are more likely to be invited. Avoid at any cost writing in a manner as you are doing a company a favor by working for them.

Hiring managers even say, “Enthusiasm conveys personality.” Some tips that help you to point out your enthusiasm include:

• Show that you have thought about the job and why you would like to work for them.
• Why is this company so brilliant? What they do the best? How they stand out?
• Mention their reputation, performance, and product.
• Remember, it’s about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.

NZ cover letter structure

Following the formal structure when piecing together a cover letter is as much as important as its content. So, make sure you stick to New Zealand standards. Here is an example:

Dear [Ms. or Mr. Surname],

• Opening – Explain why you are writing this letter (add an interesting one-liner summarizing why you’re interested in the role and what you’d bring to their business.)
• Explain your interest in the job, show knowledge about the company and position
• Demonstrate your skills and experience related to the job
• Explain why you will fit into this role and which value you will bring to the company
• Sign off and offer them to contact you

Yours sincerely,

Your name – Andrew Black.

Make sure you check your cover letter via Grammarly for spelling and grammar mistakes!

Cover letter introduction

The introduction sentences will determine whether the hiring manager will read on or skip your resume. Start your cover letter in an unconventional way and hold the reader’s interest. Here are some tips for a stellar introduction:

• Highlight your achievements in the industry.
• Display your passion and enthusiasm.
• Mention some names and numbers.

A no-go cover letter introduction looks like this:

In response to your posting for the Digital Marketing Manager position, I would like to express my interest in participating in the recruitment process. As a digital marketing manager with 8+ years of experience, I am optimistic that I would succeed in this role.

Top cover letter example

Since you already know how to write the header, here is only the main part of the cover letter.

” I am writing regarding the Marketing Manager position you currently have open. As a marketer with over 5 years of experience managing small and larger teams, I would love to take a challenge and work for your company. Marketing is my passion, so it’s to achieve monthly goals, generate new leads & sales, and train the team for success.

In my previous role at (company name), I reached not only the set marketing goals but exceeded them by 80% and, in some months, even 120%. Your company (name) already has brilliant strategies in place, you use paid advertising, social media, and outreach, but I would add other channels to ramp up the reach and revenue. I am experienced and knowledgeable in the SEO scene; hence we can explore new opportunities for your business in this area of marketing.

My previous team of marketing assistants was great! I love to work with people and guide them in our current strategies. At the same time, responsibility for people does not make me stressed or scared but ignites my motivation to bring even better results so we can all be proud as a team.

Besides, my Master’s degree in Business taught me fundamental knowledge about organizations, management, strategy, and agility, which I would be happy to apply when working for (company).

It will be great to talk in person one day. You can reach me at 123456789 any time or via email at [email protected] to arrange an interview. Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to hearing from you.

Cover letter for a visa application

Im most cases, Immigration New Zealand, will request a cover or so-called motivational letter together with your visa application. This is generally a less complex document that you would write for the employer.

Your cover letter for a visa should include:

• Reasons why you are moving or visiting New Zealand
• How are you going to support yourself
• Demonstration of how you meet the criteria for the visa

The content of the cover letter will vary depending on the visa type you are applying for. If it’s, for instance, to join a partner in New Zealand, you should include your relationship to them and explain it briefly.

Therefore, your cover letter should target your visa category’s main requirements. 

When I was applying for a student visa, my cover letter described why I decided to study in New Zealand and what are my plans after my studies. Immigration New Zealand also mentioned in their requirements that the cover letter must include these details.

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The perfect cover letter for the New Zealand market

Covering letters are a unique selling tool when approaching a prospective employer directly, and are vitally important to applications sent by overseas candidates. This is your chance to capture the attention of a New Zealand employer and demonstrate the qualities that set you apart from the other applicants.

KEEP IT BRIEF

Your cover letter should ideally not exceed one A4 side, with well-spaced lines.

TAILOR EACH COVER LETTER TOWARDS THE JOB LISTING

Wherever possible, account point-by-point for each of the requirements listed by the employers and detail how you are qualified to meet these requirements.

BE CLEAR AND CONCISE

Use strong, active verbs that demonstrate actions and accomplishments, for example, ‘organise’ and ‘supervise.’

FIND OUT THE DETAILS OF THE CONTACT PERSON

Do a bit of research, and, if a name is not supplied try to find out who the application is going to. Do not forget to include your own contact details, though these should be on your CV regardless.

THINK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE

Your letter should include an introduction and identification of the position (for example, the reference number used in the job advert), relevant qualifications and your current position, and a summary of how you meet their core skill set.

ADDRESS THE EMPLOYER’S ESSENTIAL CRITERIA/CORE SKILLSET

Identify your skills, experience and attributes that match the employer’s criteria. It can sometimes be helpful to use the same headings that they have supplied, with a short sentence or two addressing each one. Look for keywords that reveal what attributes they are looking for, and show how you embody them. If you can demonstrate that you meet the essential criteria, you will greatly increase your chances of an interview.

PROOFREAD YOUR LETTER PROPERLY

Again, this should go without saying. Have a trusted friend or colleague to review both your CV and cover letter, prior to applying. It is vital that there are no errors if you want to be taken seriously.

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What to include in a NZ cover letter (with templates)

Here’s everything your cover letter needs to contain.

Last updated: 31 March 2023

What you’ll learn:

How long should your cover letter be.

• What to include in your cover letter

Do you need to write a different cover letter for each job application?

Yes, you should write a cover letter for every job application you make in New Zealand. Whether it’s your first job helping out at your local dairy, or you’re applying for a CEO role , this document needs to be submitted.

But what exactly do you need to include in your cover letter? Well, spoiler alert, it shouldn’t just be your CV written out in full sentences.

In this article, we’ll break down the core essentials that you need to include in your cover letter, and also provide some free downloadable cover letter templates to make things even easier for you. Aren’t we nice?

One of the key challenges of writing a cover letter is cramming all the necessary information in, so before we tell you what you need to include, you need to know how much space you have..

Luckily’ it’s a pretty easy one to remember: a cover letter in New Zealand should fit onto a single A4 page.

However, remember, you need to lay your cover letter out like a formal letter. If you don’t know what we mean, check out our free downloadable cover letter templates , but in practice this means that you only have two or three paragraphs to make your key points, because the formatting takes up lots of space.

What to include in your cover letter (with examples)

1. your name and contact details.

At the top left-hand side of the page should be your name and contact details. These need to be presented in a block style, as they would appear on a formal letter. The contact details you need to provide are:

• Your current home address.
• Your email address.
• Your best contact number.

Here’s an example of what it should look like:

Nina Manmain

123 Brooklyn Road

02012345678

[email protected]

This is what the top of your cover letter should look like.

2. The date

As with any formal letter, you need to include the date.. This should also go at the top, typically in the middle or in the top right corner.

3. The name, address and business name of the person you’re writing to

Make every possible effort to find a name to address your cover letter to. It provides a really important personal touch to your job application, and instantly grabs the attention of the reader.

There are a few places you can look to find who you should be addressing your cover letter to:

• The job advert : in an ideal world, the company will have included the name of the hiring manager, or a contact person, in their listing on Trade Me Jobs . This will normally be at the end of the listing, and will look something like “Contact NAME with your CV and cover letter.”.
• The company’s website : hopefully you’ll know what department you’re applying to, so you might be able to check out the staff page on the company’s website to look up the manager’s name.
• The company’s social media : similar to the above, this can be another avenue for scoping out the best person to address your cover letter to.

You also need to include the name of the business and its physical address on your cover letter. This should be written in a block format, and should look something like this:

MANAGER NAME

COMPANY NAME

COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 1

COMPANY ADDRESS LINE 2

4. Your cover letter salutation

A cover letter salutation is just a fancy way of your greeting. Typically, this will be something like Dear HIRING MANAGER NAME .

You have a judgement call to make here. If you think the company is an informal one, you might choose to go for the most personal salutation, and use the hiring manager’s first name, i.e. Dear Sarah.

If, however, you’re applying for a role in a formal company, or a formal sector like law or banking, you’ll probably want to go with something along the lines of Dear Rawiri Smith. Of course, if you know the hiring manager has a different title, Dr, for example, then you’ll want to use that.

In the circumstances where you really can’t find a real person to address your cover letter to, then the standard fallback is Dear Sir/Madam . It’s not ideal, but if there isn't a name, this is your best bet.

Your cover letter saluation is like a written handshake.

5. The role you’re applying for, and how you heard about it

It might sound pointless, but you do need to directly name the role you’re applying for in the first paragraph of your cover letter. You need to remember that the business, and maybe even the hiring manager you’re writing to, has multiple vacancies that they’re recruiting for, so make it clear which one you’re applying to.

You also need to mention where you saw the job listing. This is a useful piece of info for the company to gather, as it shows them where their pipeline of quality candidates is coming from.

Finally for this paragraph, you should express some enthusiasm about the job, and give them an indication of why it appeals to you.

For example, your opening paragraph could like this:

“I’m writing to apply for the kayak guide role I saw advertised on Trade Me Jobs. As an experienced kayaker, with several qualifications under my belt, and with previous experience working in tourism, this role struck me as one where I could contribute to your team and also learn vital skills.”

6. Why you’re suitable for the role

This section, and the one after, are the real bread and butter of your cover letter.

For this first one, you need to provide a summary of the skills and experience you have that make you qualified for the role. Crucially, this should not be a complete rewrite of your CV. You need to specifically cherry pick skills from your previous employment (or education) that fit with what the company is looking for.

The best thing to do is look for key skills and competencies listed in the job description, and provide tangible examples of how you meet the mark, using facts and figures. For example, rather than just saying you’ve ‘increased sales’ in your previous role, tell them you ‘increased sales by X%’. Giving a precise figure like this catches the eye and sticks in the mind, and, as long as you’re not exaggerating or lying, can be a real asset in a job interview.

This section could look something like this:

My BCom in Marketing gave me a solid grounding in crucial marketing skills, ranging from statistics to e-Commerce. I particularly enjoyed tasks which involved using data to develop and run successful email and paid advertising campaigns.

I added to this experience in summer 2022 as an intern at The Business Company, where I worked alongside full-time staff to grow their email engagement by 4% in three months. I’m now looking to build on what I’ve learnt in a fast-moving and customer-centric organisation like yours, while continuing to develop myself professionally.

The heart of your cover letter should emphasise what you bring to the table, and why you want to work for them.

7. Why you want to work for them

While the main point of writing a cover letter is to sell yourself, you also need to convince the reader that you really do want to work for them. In other words, they want to see that this isn’t just another cover letter you’ve written because you really need a job, and that instead you’ll be an engaged and proactive team member.

Crucially, this isn’t an exercise in bootlicking. Telling the hiring manager that you’ve always dreamed of working at their two-month old startup isn’t going to convince anyone, and really doesn’t mean a whole lot. Instead, you need to give specific reasons why their organisation and this role speak to you.

Solid examples of what to include in this section of your cover letter include:

• Company values and culture : company values have really come to the fore in recent years, so describing how well you feel you’d fit into these is important. Many companies post their values on their website, so read these carefully, and pick a couple that really speak to you.
• The product or service : if you really do have a passion for what the organisation does, sells or promotes, talk about it. Where possible, try and weave a narrative that explains why you’re into it, rather than just stating that you are.
• T heir past achievements : if the organisation is known for having done something that you find impressive, this is worth mentioning. This helps prove to the reader that you have indeed heard about them before you saw their listing on Trade Me Jobs.

For example:

“Having worked in data analysis for years, the opportunity to use my skills for a cause that I really believe in is something I’ve been seeking for some time. COMPANY NAME’S reputation for using data to show businesses how they can cut down on their fossil fuel emissions is not only innovative and impressive, but is something that would allow me to continue to develop my skills within an organisation that shares my passion for environmental sustainability.”

8. Your sign off

Keep the end of your cover letter simple. All you need to do is convey again how keen you are for the role, thank the reader for taking the time to assess your application and provide a friendly goodbye.

“The idea of working for a news organisation that puts the stories of its readers at the heart of its reporting is something that really motivates me.. I believe my skills and experience, as well as my passion for your mission, would allow me to do this effectively, and I’d love to become a part of your team. Thank you for taking the time to read my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

YOUR NAME’.

Yes, you absolutely do need to write a different cover letter for each job application you make. As we hope this article has emphasised, you need to tailor your cover letter to both describe how you fit the role, and how the role fits you.

If a hiring manager or recruiter gets even the slightest sniff of a mass-produced cover letter that they think you’ve sent to a whole bunch of other organisations, chances are your application is dead in the water and they’ll go with someone else.

Al Hall is a regular contributor at Trade Me Jobs and Trade Me Property. He’s dedicated to helping people succeed in their aspirations to find their dream job and place to live.

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