Covering notes: when they help and when they hurt
Most covering letters are ignored. A four-line application note, written properly, gets read every time.
Nobody in housing reads a two-page covering letter. What hiring managers do read is a short note at the top of an application that answers the three questions they are already thinking.
The three questions
- Why this employer, specifically? Name the region, the scheme, the tenure mix or the growth plan.
- Why you? One line of proof — units, plots, turnover, stock numbers, team size.
- Why now, and are you practical? Location, notice period, salary expectation.
A note that works
"I'm a Land Manager at a five-star housebuilder in the South West — 7 sites and 640 plots acquired in 24 months. I know your Exeter and Taunton schemes well and want to move to a business buying strategically. I live in Bridgwater, I'm on one month's notice and I'm looking around £75k." That is the whole letter.
When to skip it
If you have nothing specific to say about the employer, leave it out. A generic letter reads as volume applying and actively weakens a strong CV.
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