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Cover Letters
A cover letter should be brief and personal. Address the needs of
the specific employer to whom you are writing, and reflect your
natural choice of vocabulary about the opportunity for which you are
applying. Please see the reverse side for samples of other letters
that might be essential to your job search.
Your cover letter should be comprised of at least
three paragraphs.
The
opening paragraph
should
introduce you, clearly state your reason for writing, mention how
you learned of the opening, and identify the position for which you
would like to be considered.
The
middle paragraph(s)
should
highlight your educational credentials, employment experiences,and
attributes that qualify you for the position. Use specific examples
from extra-curricular activities, coursework, and employment, which
demonstrate skills pertinent to the position, such as leadership,
decision-making and communication.
The
final paragraph
should
request an interview. You should also indicate that you will call on
a certain date to arrange a convenient time for an appointment,
request application materials, or affirm your interest in the
position and/or organization.
Since a cover letter is a standard business letter,
its format should follow that of a business letter. Be sure any
letter you send meets the following criteria:
-
Use the same high quality paper that matches
your résumé.
-
Type neatly; double check for spelling errors.
-
Address your correspondence to the person with
hiring authority, using that person’s name and title. (To find
the name of an employer, contact the administrative assistant
and ask for the employer’s exact name and title. Be sure to
double-check the spelling of the employer’s name.)
-
Research the employer; focus on facts that are
unique to that particular employer and how your skills match
those of the organization.
-
Keep sentences relatively short. Leave
qualifiers such as “I think...” or “I feel...” out of your
letter.
-
Use matching fonts for the letter and résumé.
-
Keep your letter brief, no more than one page.
-
Use the first sentence of each paragraph
strategically to be sure that your message gets conveyed.
-
Make sure you sign the letter.
-
Keep a copy of your letter as a convenient
record.
Other Letters
THANK YOU LETTER
Your mailing address
City, state, ZIP
Today’s date
Full name of contact
Title or position
Company/organization name
Mailing address
City, state ZIP
Dear (Mr., Ms. or Dr.):
Express your sincere appreciation. Refer to the
date, location of the interview and the position you discussed.
Reemphasize your strongest qualifications. Draw attention to the
good match between your qualifications and the job requirements.
Reiterate your interest in the position. Use the
opportunity to provide or offer supplemental information not
previously given.
Restate your appreciation.
Sincerely,
(Your signature)
Your name typed
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE
Same address style as shown in the above letter.
Dear (Dr., Mr. or Ms.):
I am very pleased to accept your offer (state offer)
as outlined in your letter of (date). (Include all details of offer
-location, starting salary, starting date, etc.)
(Mention enclosures - application, resume, employee
forms, or other information - and any related commentary.)
I look forward to meeting the challenges of the
position. Thank you for offering me this exciting opportunity to
contribute to (company).
Sincerely,
(Your signature)
Your name typed
Enclosure(s) - Include if appropriate |
