Given the current economic climate, I have been asked by several friends to help with their resumes and cover letters. It seems my friends have gotten through up to graduate work with never having learned how to compose a cover letter. Here are some tips that I whipped up so that job-seekers know at least the basic structure of a decent cover letter.
Use letterhead. It doesn’t have to be fancy something-weight stock. Just open up Word and create something simple. I recommend centering it at the top, and putting the candidates name, address, phone, email, and website (if appropriate). Use the same letterhead for your resume and cover letter. Looks nice, right?
Find out who you are sending the application to and address it to that person. Most people are lazy and want to skip this step, but it takes only one to two minutes, usually just a call to a secretary, and it personalizes the letter (and shows you aren’t just blindly sending out resumes). If you really can’t find the person’s name or committee title, then please do not resort to “To Whom it May Concern.” At the very least you can put the department (e.g., “Dear Human Resources”).
My recommended first paragraph contains two sentences. Start with, “Attached please find my resume in application for the ______ position as advertised on _______.” If the job announcement asked for writing samples or references, mention those as well. Do not send an application packet out without everything they requested, or it’ll go in the trash. If the references are in the resume, you can say “resume with references.” You want them to know, first thing, that you are doing what they asked.
First paragraph second sentence is a thesis as to why you are qualified and interested in that position. That’s it. This is a hard one, but its important, so spend some time to make it clean and powerful. Here’s an example, “I believe that my strong academic credentials and demonstrated commitment to scholarly research make me a strong entry-level candidate for this position.”
In the second paragraph, briefly describe your background and accomplishments. (e.g. “I graduated from ___ cum laude in 200_. I went on to _____. As part of my work there, I _____[accomplished something]. I am currently _____.”)
Third paragraph is happy, something about how you will contribute to their organization. (e.g., “I would like to join the ___ department at the ___ because it would allow me to ___. I believe that ____ would give me the opportunity to make a positive contribution to _____ while working in an area that I find intellectually stimulating.”) Obviously this is very specific to the job you are applying to. This lets the reviewer know that you actually looked at the job description and thought about it.
Your final paragraph should be an enticement for them to call you. (e.g. “If you are seeking a motivated, experienced _________ [modify to your special circumstances and the job], then please contact me by phone at ____________.”
A girlfriend of mine had already applied for another job in the same company. I recommended she add a sentence to the last paragraph. “I have also applied for ____________, as I am flexible and very interested in working with your organization.”
So, that’s it. A decent cover letter. Yes, it takes a good twenty minutes to write, but it’s a necessary investment in your future.
Good luck, job hunters!
Write on… Kimberly.
My longest interview and article for the paper to date. My favorite paragraph:
I’ve been getting a bio assignment here and there and have been finding them kind of fun. Getting to know someone else’s path is an interesting process. It is a challege to contextualize a person’s experience to perfectly match up with their goals. My most recent bio assignment was on the abstract side, as the person works with largely abstract concepts. Here is the teaser intro paragraph:
