Senior Seminar (Bio 499) Dr. Barbeau Spring 2018 Purpose of Cover Letter A well written cover letter (personal statement) should accompany every letter of resume to provide info. on your skills and experience. A cover letter is your first chance to make a good impression. It helps convince an employer or acceptance committee to look at your resume and other materials, and hopefully land an interview. 1
Your Audience Employers or entrance committees will likely view hundreds (or more) applications. The cover letter is a chance to sell yourself, stand out, and convince them that you are a good candidate. A cover letter is your first chance to make a good impression. It should make an employer or acceptance committee want to find out more from your resume and other materials, and hopefully ask your for an interview. 3 Basic Paragraphs: Paragraph 1: Why are you writing? Mention the job position or the program to which you are applying. Mention the company s name or the University s name where the job or program is offered, respectively. Paragraph 2: What you have to offer the employer or program. Here is where you talk about your skills or experiences that are relevant to the position. Paragraph 3: Say Thank you for your time in reviewing this application. Indicate that you have a included a resume with your application, to provide further details of your background and experience. State that you will follow up, and when and how you will follow up. 2
First Paragraph Do s! Why are you writing - Mention specific job /program you are applying for. - Where you found the listing (ad) - Why you want to work for that company, or why you want to be in that program. Ex. I am writing to apply for your Physician Assistant Program at Francis Marion University. Ex. I am writing to apply for the Field Biologist position for the Department of Natural Resources that was advertised in. (It doesn t hurt to have done some research on the employer (the business) or the program (and its faculty). Ex. I have been researching the Biology program at the University of Florida, and I have been very impressed with the caliber and diversity of research being done by the Biology Department faculty. In particular, I ve been intrigued by the work of Dr. Harvey Lillywhite on reptile digestive physiology. First Paragraph Don ts! Don t State what you expect the position to do for you Avoid Ex. This position will allow me to move to a new town. Ex. I hear the pay for this position is great. Ex. I would like a 9 5 job so I can do other things on the weekends. Ex. I ve always wanted to live here. 3
Second Paragraph Dos! Do Explain the most important, relevant skills & experiences listed on your resume. (Don t cut & paste! Expand a little.) How you ve earned the skills (did you learn on a previous job or earn a degree? Why these skills will help the employer Don ts Copy your resume onto the cover letter List skills not related to the position Third Paragraph Get an Interview! State the following: Indicate that the resume or other material are also attached. Thank them for their time in reviewing your application! State that you will be contacting the employer for an interview, or will be available for an interview at a certain date. State how and when you plan to follow up on the progress of your application. 4
Your Address City, State Zip The Date Letter Recipient s Name Recipient s Title Company Name Company Address Dear Mr. or Mrs. ~ 3Paragraphs with info about you Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Format for hard-copy letter: John Doe (Handwritten Signature) (Your Name Typed) The Date Letter Recipient s Name Recipient s Title Company Name Company Address Format for email letter: Dear Mr. or Mrs. ~ 3Paragraphs with info about you Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, John Doe Your Address City, State Zip (Handwritten Signature) (Your Name Typed) 5
Overall Tips Do Reflect a positive attitude Keep the cover letter to one page Tailor your cover letter to the job, position, or program Use spell check Keep sentences clear and simple Alternate sentence length to hold the reader s interest. Overall Tips Don t Use a generic cover letter for all employers Start every sentence with I Announce weaknesses Include an autobiography 6
Smith University Center, Suite 210 Contact: Director: Dr. Ronald Miller, Jr., rmiller@fmarion.edu (843) 661-1678 http://www.fmarion.edu/careerdevelopment/studentsalumni/ 7