A cover letter is a professional business letter that accompanies your resume and introduces yourself to the employer. It states the position you are applying for and your interest in the job and the company. It is designed to hook the reader and spark their interest in reading your resume.
Your cover letter should be engaging, informative, and show your command of the written word. It should flow easily from a reader’s perspective, making the connection between the opportunity and your ability to succeed if given the chance. The tone should be compelling. You should be excited about the opportunity and you should be confident of your ability to succeed (even if you truly lack the confidence).
The format of your cover letter should involve three basic parts:
The Introduction: The introductory paragraph, states the position you are applying for, how you heard about it, and why you are interested in the position. If someone referred you for the position, mention their name. The goal is to hook the employer and motivate them to want to review your resume and invite you for an interview!
The Closing: the final paragraph shows enthusiasm for working for the company. Request an interview to further discuss the position and state that you will call within a week to follow-up. Thank the employer for their time and consideration.
The body of the cover letter is the most important part. To help you craft a strong body, it is important to match your qualifications with those the employer is looking for. To help you do this, you will need to study the job description in great detail. Extract the main functions, tasks, and desired qualifications from the job description and give examples from your past work experience to illustrate how you are a good fit.
With each résumé you send out, always include a cover letter specifically addressing your purposes.
Characteristics of an Effective Cover Letter
Cover letters should accomplish the following:
Get the attention of the prospective employer
Set you apart from any possible competition
Identify the position you are interested in
Specify how you learned about the position or company
Present highlights of your skills and accomplishments
Reflect your genuine interest
Please the eye and ear
The following video features Aimee Bateman, founder of Careercake.com, who explains how you can create an incredible cover letter. You can download a transcript of the video here.42
This site contains sample student/recent graduate cover letters (especially for high school students and college students and graduates seeking employment) as well as cover letter templates, writing tips, formats and templates, email cover letter examples, and examples by type of applicant
This site contains resources about the reality of cover letters, using a cover letter, the worst use of the cover letter, the testimonial cover letter technique, and a cover letter checklist
This site contains articles, experts, jobs, and more: get all the professional insights you need on LinkedIn
Cover Letters(from the Yale Office of Career Strategy)
This site includes specifications for the cover letter framework (introductory paragraph, middle paragraph, concluding paragraph), as well as format and style
The Career Center provides assistance with career counseling, internship assistance and the job search process. Meet with a an expert for professional feedback on your resume.
Sample Cover Letter Template
Activity 5.4: Creating My Cover Letter
Now that we have reviewed the importance of a cover letter, it is time for you to develop your cover letter. Find a job or internship announcement you would be interested in applying for and craft your cover letter for this particular job/internship opportunity.
Make your cover letter personal and specific to the job/internship announcement and make sure it hooks the employer
Use the cover letter tools listed in the Cover Letter Resources table above to help you create your cover letter. Save your document as a PDF file.
Follow instructions from your instructor on how to submit your work.
