Publishing careers

Your application

It's an obvious point, but it is crucial to check your CV and covering letter for mistakes in spelling and grammar. Don't rely on the spell-checker in your word-processing software (it might not tell you that you've used 'your' when you should have written 'you're').

Ideally, get someone else to check it, as it's often very hard to spot mistakes in something you've written yourself. Although this may seem obvious, HR departments are constantly surprised by the number of CVs they receive that contain errors. And, since they typically receive large numbers of applications, they often use this as a convenient way to weed out applicants.

Make sure you research the company and its products, and target your application accordingly. Most employers can spot standard letters a mile off, so show that you've taken some time to think about what they are looking for and why you fit the bill.

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