What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and experience. A cover letter provides detailed information on why are you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences.

Key Areas for Cover Letter Writing

• What position are you applying for?
• How did you learn of the position or company? What do you know about the company?
• Why are you perfect for the position? What sets you apart from the crowd?
• Who will contact who?
  • Request a meeting or personal interview
  • Mention that you will contact them to schedule a personal meeting
  • Explain how they can reach you
  • Thank them for taking the time to consider your application

Tips

Customize to Fit

Take the time to customize your cover letter to fit the employer's requirements. Before you start writing, review the criteria for the position and make a list of what the employer wants. This list might include specific areas of expertise, years of experience, technical knowledge, transferable skills, and personality traits. Then, incorporate these items into your letter, demonstrating by example that you have the desired qualifications. 

Meet the Employer's Needs

Write the cover letter with the employer's needs in mind, not your own. Don't describe what you want, but explain what you can do for the employer. Don't assume that the employer will read between the lines of your resume and dig out the relevant information. They won't. To get their attention, you have to actively describe how you can meet their needs.

Actively Sell Yourself

State why you should be hired. Be assertive about your qualifications and assure the employer of your capabilities.

Keep it Simple

Use a simple block format with left flush margins and ragged right margins, since that looks most like a letter typed on a typewriter. Your cover letter will generate a better response if it LOOKS like it was individually typed rather than computer-generated. Most cover letters should be limited to one page, preferably 3-5 paragraphs. In addition, use job-appropriate language (not too stuffy) and avoid pretentious phrases like those mentioned in my Gallery of Pretentious Cover Letter Phrases.

Cover Letter Template

Date

Contact’s Name
Contact’s Title
Organization Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr. Or Ms. (person’s last name only):

Paragraph 1: State immediately the position you are pursuing and how you came to know of the opening. If you have an alumnus, family or other contact at the organization, you can mention that here as well. Tell the employer briefly (one or two sentences) why you are interested in this position.

Paragraph 2: Explain the skills and experiences you have that will make you successful in the position. Talk about classes you have taken, activities you have been involved in, summer experiences you have had. You do not have to have directly related experience but think about the skills you have gained from what you have done and how those could relate to the duties of the position you are applying for. You do not want to repeat your resume to the employer in this paragraph but this is the place to highlight related accomplishments that will make the reader want to learn more, which will lead them to your resume. The goal is to show the employer that you have confidence in your ability to succeed in the position.

Paragraph 3: Demonstrate that you have done some research about this organization. Go to their web site and talk to alumni or other contacts that may currently work for the organization. This research does not have to be extensive but it shows that you have taken some time to think about this position and put some effort into this letter. This makes a very good impression on employers. It shows that this is not a form letter where only the address and contact name is changed for each position.

Paragraph 4: State that you would welcome a personal interview to further discuss this opportunity. If you need to explain anything out of the ordinary on your resume, this is the place to do it. You might mention that if you do not hear anything from the potential employer in two to three weeks time that you will call to follow up this letter to see where they are in their process. Finish by thanking them for their attention and express a desire to meet them sometime in the near future.

Sincerely,

Your signature (leave 4 blank spaces for this)

Your name in print

Useful Book References

The Damn Good Resume Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing / by Yana Parker, Ten Speed Press, ISBN: 1580084443
 The Guide to Basic Cover Letter Writing / by Public Library Association, McGraw-Hill, ISBN: 0071405909

Useful Links
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchglossary/g/coverletter.htm
http://www.accent-resume-writing.com/covertips/
http://www.your-career-change.com/cover-letter-mistakes.html
http://www.cv-expert.co.uk/cover-letter-content.html