An Australian cover letter should explain why your evidence fits this particular vacancy. Identify the role, choose the strongest examples from your experience and finish with a clear invitation to contact you. Follow the advertisement if it requests a different format, length or document.
A cover letter is not a second résumé. Your résumé records your background; the letter connects the most relevant parts of that background to the employer’s immediate needs. The JobAccess application guide is a useful starting point for checking the requested documents.
Turn the advertisement into a short brief
Before opening a template, write down the job title, reference number, recipient, submission method and closing time. Then identify two or three duties that appear central to the role. Separate mandatory requirements from things the employer would prefer.
For an administration role, those priorities might be accurate records, coordinating appointments and communicating with customers. A letter about being passionate and hardworking does little to demonstrate those tasks. A short example of correcting a booking problem is more useful.
Choose examples you can explain again at interview. If your evidence comes from study or volunteering, name that setting honestly. Do not change an unpaid position into employment or imply that a team result was entirely yours.
A complete fictional cover letter
The following letter is an original fictional example. Alex and the vacancy are invented; the wording illustrates a structure rather than a real application or employer relationship.
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am applying for the Administration Assistant position, reference ADMIN-EXAMPLE. My experience coordinating bookings and maintaining customer records would support the accurate scheduling and responsive service described in your advertisement.
In my previous reception role, I checked appointment changes against the shared booking register before confirming them with customers. When I found two overlapping appointments, I contacted the supervisor, arranged an approved alternative and updated the register so the next shift had the correct information. This required careful checking and clear communication rather than simply entering data quickly.
I also helped prepare a weekly list of outstanding enquiries. I grouped items by the action required, confirmed ownership with colleagues and followed up incomplete records before the handover. This experience is relevant to your requirement for someone who can organise competing tasks and keep a team informed.
I am interested in this position because it combines customer contact with practical administrative coordination. My attached résumé provides further details of my experience. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I could contribute to your team and can be contacted using the details in my application.
Thank you for considering my application.
Kind regards,
Alex Example
Why the example works
The opening identifies a specific vacancy and connects experience to duties. The first evidence paragraph shows an accuracy problem, Alex’s actions and a resolved booking. The second demonstrates organisation through a different task. Neither paragraph depends on invented performance percentages.
The closing gives a practical reason for interest without claiming to know the employer’s internal culture. In your own version, replace every example with something true and check that the experience also makes sense beside your résumé.
Use this reusable sequence: vacancy and fit; evidence for one important requirement; evidence for another; reason for interest and contact. The sequence is an editing aid, not a rule every employer uses.
Adapt the letter before sending
Read the completed letter against the advertisement, not against a keyword score. Have you answered what this employer actually asked? Remove claims that could be pasted into any application. Keep technical terms where they clarify your experience, and explain unfamiliar employer names or systems briefly.
Check the recipient, reference number, spelling, attachments and filename. Open the final attachment to confirm that it is the intended version. If the employer asks for an email introduction rather than a separate letter, follow that instruction.
Use our résumé preparation guide for the broader document, then compare your letter with the requirements of a current vacancy. Each listing’s application instructions determine where and how to submit it.
