Cover Letter

Cover Letters

Typically, a cover letter is attached to the front of your resumé. Your cover letter should be specific to the position for which you are applying, relating your skills and experience to those described in the job posting. You can include short stories or experiences in your cover letter that exemplify why you would be a good candidate for a particular job position.

Cover letters are used to help the employer get to know you better than what is listed on your resumé. Remember, the purpose of a cover letter isn’t to reiterate what is already on your resumé; it is to provide additional information the employer may not see or know about you from the resumé.

Employers most likely won’t even consider a candidate whose qualifications are not evident at first glance. Your cover letter is your first opportunity to make a good impression and point out your qualifications. Similar to your resumé, this is your chance to impress the employer and show them how you can best contribute to their organization!

Cover letters take some time and effort and it’s not always easy, but it’s important. First, look at the job posting and pull out the criteria the employer is seeking. These words can usually be found in the job description and may include qualifications such as the ability to work well with others, be organized, outgoing, etc. After reading the job description, list the skills and experience you have that relate to the particular job criteria.

Cover letters should:

Catch the reader’s interest by detailing your qualifications
Avoid listing or regurgitating what is already on your resumé
Provide evidence that you surpass the other candidates
Emphasize that you are a good fit with the organization’s objectives
Focus on what you can do for the company, not what the company can do for you
Compliment the company’s successes
Make it clear that you understand the mission and company culture

The following website can also provide additional information on writing cover letters. They include different formats and distinguish cover letters by career and education level: www.jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/coverlettsample.htm

The layout of your cover letter is important. Make sure it is easy to read and it looks professional. It’s important to:

Properly space the layout of the cover letter
Put spaces between the heading, the greeting, each paragraph, the closing, and your signature
Single space your letter and leave a space between each paragraph
Left justify your letters
Use black text color with a simple font like Arial or Times New Roman, Font size 12

The layout of your cover letter is important. Make sure it is easy to read and it looks professional.

It’s important to:

Properly space the layout of the cover letter
Put spaces between the heading, the greeting, each paragraph, the closing, and your signature
Single space your letter and leave a space between each paragraph
Left justify your letters
Use black text color with a simple font like Arial, Verdana, or Times New Roman