Writing a cover letter for an advertised APS role

Once you know which document the vacancy wants, the writing itself is reasonably straightforward. Two formats cover most situations.

Format A: a brief covering message

Useful where the application asks for a short covering statement, or where you are sending an application by email and the message is really an introduction.

1. Name the role, with the reference number if there is one.
2. Give a short summary of your relevant background.
3. Add a genuine reason for your interest, where it adds something.
4. Point to the attached documents.
5. Close politely.

Example: brief covering message from an experienced applicant

Dear Selection Panel, I am writing to apply for the Data Analyst position (reference 2024/1187). I have eight years of experience in data analysis across health and community services, including three years producing regular reporting for program areas. My attached resume provides further detail on the reporting and process-improvement work most relevant to this position. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the role. Yours sincerely, [Name]

Format B: a conventional cover letter

Useful where the advertisement asks you to explain your interest and suitability, or where there is context the panel would not otherwise have.

1. Open by identifying the role.
2. Explain why this work or area interests you.
3. Give one or two selected pieces of evidence.
4. Connect that evidence briefly to what the role involves.
5. Refer to your resume or other required documents.
6. Close.

A short message may only point to the evidence in your resume. A fuller letter can include selected evidence directly, where the application expects it.

Example: conventional cover letter from an experienced applicant

Dear Selection Panel, I am writing to apply for the Data Analyst position (reference 2024/1187). I have worked in data and reporting roles in health and community services for eight years, and I am interested in this position because it sits close to program delivery rather than at a remove from it. Most of my work has involved translating administrative data into something program areas can actually act on, which appears to be a substantial part of this role. In my current position, I maintain the regular reporting for four program areas and redesigned the monthly quality report after recurring data issues were being picked up late. The revised report flags the most common errors at the point of extraction, and it is now used across the branch. I also coordinate with three data custodians outside my department, which has given me a reasonable understanding of the negotiation involved in getting consistent data across agencies. My attached resume sets out this work in more detail, along with the systems and tools I use regularly. I would be glad to discuss how my experience fits the role. Yours sincerely, [Name]

These are examples of the shape rather than wording to copy. A letter that reads as though it came from a template usually shows.

Length

Let the content and the instructions decide. A brief covering message may only need a few sentences. A conventional letter may need half a page or more where the advertisement asks you to explain your interest and suitability. Follow any word or page limit given.

Beyond that, keep the letter no longer than it needs to be. Cut repeated background and general claims about yourself, but do not leave out something the application specifically asks you to address.

Addressing it

Use a name where you have one; the contact officer is usually named in the advertisement. Where no name is available, "Dear Selection Panel" is fine and reads naturally for APS applications.

Mentioning other vacancies

You can briefly note that you would be interested in similar roles. It does no harm, though APS merit pool arrangements already provide a formal way for suitable candidates to be considered for comparable vacancies, so the line matters less here than it might elsewhere. Merit pools are covered in reaching out without a vacancy.

What not to include

A cover letter does not normally need your date of birth, marital status, family circumstances, a photograph, health information, or personal reasons for a gap in your history. None of that is expected, and leaving it out is not an omission.

You may choose to disclose something where it is relevant and you want to. That is your decision, not an obligation. If you need a reasonable adjustment for any part of the recruitment process, the candidate information pack, contact officer or recruitment team is usually the better channel for arranging it than a cover letter.

For guidance on selecting evidence, see choosing what to include in an APS cover letter.