Please help my covering letter is s****e

[niceglasses]

I;m having a crisis of confidence having not really worked for over 3 years now. I'm trying to write letter to enclose with CV for p/t teaching role in prisons.......really my exp is not that relevant. I am really really struggling, tho, is anyone a wizz and can give me a few clues. It is an area I would really like to get in, somehow

Sorry this seems indulgent, but just need some help. heres what I have so far [don't bleedin laff]

I write in reply to your recent advert in the ?Evening Chronicle? which outlined your Open Evening, held on 23rd August. Unfortunately I could not make your evening as I was on holiday, but making enquiries on my return, I was asked to submit my curriculum vitae, which I enclose.

For the past 3 years I have been full time at home caring for my three young children, two of whom are now in school. Previous to this I worked largely in academic libraries, specifically with library management systems which run all borrowing, returning, ordering etc. My experience is therefore particularly IT based and I have a broad and in depth knowledge of both basic PC skills, common programs [Microsoft suite of programs, Adobe, Internet Explorer, web skiils] as well as a good knowledge of hardware issues, communications, databases and basic programming.

I also feel my library background has much to offer in teaching in a more traditional setting. Much of my work at both my last two posts involved the teaching of basic information skills to groups of students ? introducing sources, writing bibliographies, and making use of the various electronic databases. This was a regular part of my duties as well as dealing with daily enquiries from staff and students.

[DottyOfArc]

Just a quick comment - don't start with the sentence about being at home for the past 3 years - start with your work experience and put the bit about being at home at the end. You're applying for a job - need to put the work stuff first as it's what they'll be interested in.

In fact as it's just a covering letter I'd probably miss out your first paragraph altogether and just go with the second paragraph - they'll barely glance at the covering letter so don't put too much on it and spend too much time worrying about it!

Good luck!!

[niceglasses]

Thank you, helpful