The letter you write to a prospective employer is extremely important. It will be the employer's first impression of you.

So spelling mistakes and garbled English will do you no favours.

Begin your letter with an explanation of why you are writing to the company, and name the job you are applying for. The second paragraph should explain what you have to offer the company, making sure you refine your skills to the job in question. You should also highlight any achievements and special qualifications.

You should go on to demonstrate any knowledge you have of the company, for example, mention any recent good publicity they've had. Also, express an interest in the firm by saying you want to join a successful and go-ahead team, but don't go over the top and be careful not to sound false.

Keep the letter fairly brief and to the point. End it by mentioning anything you have enclosed with the letter, such as a CV or proof of qualification. If you are writing 'on spec', you could also say that you will telephone in a week's time to request a meeting to discuss the application further.

But if you say that, make sure you ring.

Another tip is to find out who to address the letter to. Always use a named contact, never Dear Sir or Madam.

Print your name under your signature.

And use good quality writing paper for your letter.

A couple of pages torn from a memo pad will not create the right impression.

And once you have landed your new job, there are more rules to obey.

The main one is: don't criticise your old job, former workmates, ex-employers, or their products. If you have nothing good to say, keep quiet.

New workmates and bosses will not be impressed by someone who rants on about how bad such and such a firm was, and how they didn't deserve someone as good as you.

Your new employers and colleagues may know quite a lot about your previous company. They may even talk to your former bosses at a business meeting or function and be told some home truths about you.

Like how you were often late or didn't turn up at all and how you offered lame excuses about sick dogs or a bad back.

Career prospects at your new job could be fairly limited after that.

So beware. Loose and malicious talk can rebound on you.