CHAPTER 4: Cover Letters

CHAPTER 4: Cover Letters In addition to a resume, all applications for employment must include a cover letter. The cover letter is where you introduce yourself to the person who has the power to give you a job. It s also where you explain how your skills and experiences specifi cally relate to the position that you are applying for, so that the employer will want to invite you for an interview to fi nd out more about you and how you could help his or her organization. Remember that your resume focuses on you, but the cover letter focuses on what you can do for a potential employer. Your cover letter is not a summary of your resume. Write a unique cover letter for each job you re applying for. You may, however, have a basic cover letter that you customize for each employer, depending on the specifi cs of the job. The Big Picture Here are the steps in writing your cover letter. They are similar to what you did when you put together your resume. Remember that your resume focuses on you, but the cover letter focuses on what you can do for a potential employer. Step 1: Gather Information Step 2: Write the First Version Step 3: Get Feedback from Family, Friends, or Others Step 4: Print and Send (with your Resume) Step 5: Follow Up With the Employer Why do I need a cover letter? For a moment, pretend you are the employer. You currently have three positions open, and you have received 50 resumes for those three positions. None of the applicants have included a cover letter, so you have no idea which of the three positions each person is applying for. Then you get one resume with a cover letter and that person clearly states the job they want! Who would you interview right away? Writing your cover letter The format included here is one of many different ways to write cover letters. If you would prefer to use a different format, you may still use the sections here to construct your letter. Then change the letter s organization to the format you prefer. For additional resources on writing cover letters, check your local library, Job Service or Workforce Development offi ce, or the internet. Step 1: Gather Information Much of the information you ll include in your cover letter comes from your transferable skills you identifi ed in Chapter 1, details about the company that you found out about in Chapter 2, and your resume. It s best to keep your cover letter to one page, because most employers don t have time to read more than that. i Before you start your cover letter, A. Be sure you have all the information you can possibly fi nd about the company and job opening. You may already have a lot of information about the company in your Job Lead Worksheet on page 14. B. Check the company s website, job descriptions, and any news you can fi nd about the company. C. It s also a good idea to try to find the name of the person who would be your manager if you got the job, and write the letter to him or her. Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents 25

A B C D E The Heading (Your Contact Information) The heading is your contact information. This should be the same as the contact information you listed on your resume. List your full name List your street address List your city, state and zip List your daytime phone number and an additional phone number (such as your cell phone) List your e-mail address The Date List the date you plan to send the letter Inside Address You may have the inside address information already listed in the Job Lead Worksheet on page 14. If not, try to fi nd out the information by checking the company s website or calling the company. List the Employer s full name, be sure to precede his or her name with a title, such as Mr. or Ms. While it s best to send your letter to a specifi c person, sometimes you don t have that option. In that case, use a generic term such as Personnel Director, Offi ce Supervisor, or a similar title that seems to fi t the situation. You could also check the company s website or call the company and ask for the Human Resources Department to fi nd out the hiring manager s name. Other options when you don t know the manager s name include Human Resources Manager, Customer Service Supervisor, or Employment Director. List his or her position title List the company name, do not abbreviate (except for Inc. ) List the company s street address (write out the full street address) List the city List the state, do not abbreviate List the zip A Note on Mrs. : Don t use Mrs. unless you know for sure that the hiring manager prefers that title ( Mrs. indicates that a woman is married, and Ms. is neutral it doesn t have a married or unmarried meaning). The last thing you want your cover letter to do is offend someone. If in doubt when you re sending your cover letter to a woman, use Ms. Salutation (Greeting) Next is the salutation, which begins with Dear, followed by Mr. or Ms., and then the hiring manager s last name. If you don t have his or her name, use Dear, followed by a generic term, as mentioned in the previous section (such as Dear Hiring Manager ). You may also use Good Morning. Whichever salutation you choose, always end it with a colon, not a comma. Dear Mr. / Ms. : or Dear : Body of the Letter The purpose of the introductory paragraph is to state why you are writing the letter. The introductory paragraph includes the general or specifi c title of the position you are applying for, how you learned about the position, and your employment status (in school, working, etc.). As you write your letter, it s a good idea to keep each paragraph to two or three sentences at the most. Introductory Paragraph, First Sentence The fi rst sentence of your introductory paragraph describes the general or specifi c title of the position you re applying for and how you learned about the position opening. 26 Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents

A Heading Cover Letter Worksheet part 1 Your Full Name Street Address Apartment Number City, State Zip - Phone Number ( ) - Ext Additional Phone Number ( ) - e-mail Address Typing: leave 1 Blank line B The Date Expected Date to send this Letter / / Typing: leave 1 Blank Line C Inside Address Employer s Full Name Position Title Company Name Street Address City, State Zip - Typing: leave 1 Blank Line D Salutation Dear : Typing: leave 1 blank line E Introductory Paragraph, First Sentence If you learned about the position through a website, newspaper ad, etc.: I am very interested in applying for the position that you advertised on in/on. month and day newspaper/website /job bank If you learned about the position through networking: In the course of talking to, I learned about a possible opening name of person for a at your company. I am very interested in applying for this position. job title Typing: leave 1 Blank Line Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents 27

F Introductory Paragraph, Second Sentence The second sentence of your introductory paragraph describes your employment status: whether you are in school, working, or available for immediate employment (not currently working). Questions About Your Work History If there is something in your work history that an employer might have concerns about, mentioning it in your cover letter is a good way to make the employer feel more at ease. If for example you have had many jobs, you could write, You may have noticed from my resume that I ve had a number of jobs. Because I have been in many different positions working with many different types of people, I have gained excellent people skills. I am also a quick learner. Look back to page 6 on the not-so perfect work history. Employers want to know what you have learned from negative experiences, and that you do not intend to repeat those experiences. G Body Paragraph The body paragraph describes your qualifi cations for the job. To write the most persuasive cover letter, select two topics to convey your best qualifi cations or skills. You may wish to go into more detail about something you mentioned on your resume, such as how you used your skills to solve a diffi cult problem in a job or something you did to save the company money. Look back at your transferable skills on page 5 for help as well. As you write this paragraph, continue to view your letter from the employer s point of view what are you offering him or her? How do your qualifi cations, skills, or achievements make you the best candidate for the job? 28 Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents

F Cover Letter Worksheet part 2 Introducory Paragraph, Second Sentence You are in school: I am currently a at and look forward to the opportunity offered by your position. class level name of school/college I will be graduating in. month, year You just graduated from school: I am a recent graduate of and look forward to the opportunity offered by your position. name of school/college You have taken courses that would help you in the job: I have studied at and know my skills and knowledge would benefi t your company. general names of courses name of school/college You are not currently working: I am available for immediate employment and look forward to the opportunity offered by your position. You are currently working: I am currently a and look forward to the new challenge offered by your position. your job title You were in the military: I served in the in which taught me. branch of service location what you learned G Typing: leave 1 blank line Body Paragraph If you want to emphasize your work experience: Prior work experience as a has helped me to develop my skills in. job title name(s) of skills In my current position, I have demonstrated that I am an enthusiastic, hard worker and very willing to learn on the job. If you want to emphasize your education: In I graduated from, earning my in. month year name of school/college degree, certificate, diploma program The course work I have taken in may be of special interest to you. name of subject areas If you want to emphasize other qualifi cations: Awards I ve received, including, demonstrate my desire to achieve excellence. name of award or awards My interests have lead to my involvement in some related activities such as. name of activities Self-motivation has led to my acquiring certain skills on my own including. name of skills Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents 29

H I Closing Paragraph The closing paragraph puts the fi nishing touch on your cover letter. Be sure to thank the employer for his or her time and consideration. If you plan on calling the employer to set up an interview, allow at least a week for him or her to receive and read your resume and cover letter. Closing/Signature/Name/Enclosure Your Closing A sincere closing is your virtual handshake with the employer. End your letter by writing Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Best regards, or Warm regards. Your Signature Leave room for your signature Your Full Name Type your full name three to four blank lines below your closing. Then sign your name in black or dark blue ink in the blank space. Enclosure: Resume Type Enclosure: Resume to let the employer know that you are sending a copy of your resume with your letter. Step 2: Write the First Version Now that you have put together all the sections of your cover letter, fi nd a computer with a word processing program and type in the information you have entered above. Leave one blank line between each section of the cover letter, except where you ll sign it (leave about three blank lines there). Then read the letter aloud to hear how it sounds when put together. Do the sentences and paragraphs fl ow from one to another? Does the letter make sense? 1221 Cedar Drive Weyauwega, WI 55555 (920) 555-1234 crodriguez@emailaddress.mail June 23, 2005 Ms. Sophie Virtanen, Service Manager Greater Metro Auto Dealer 7738 Brooks Street Washington Island, WI 53200 Sample Cover Letter Dear Ms. Virtanen: I would like to apply for the full-time Auto Technician position that was advertised in last Sunday s Daily Herald. This past year I was employed at the Dairyland Auto Dealer in Weyauwega while earning my Associate Degree in Automotive Technology from Fox Valley Technical College. Some of the work I performed under the supervision of the Service Manager Jeffrey Miller included warranty maintenance and repair, front-end alignments, and rebuilding engines. I also learned to communicate well with customers and explain to them needed repair work in easy-to-understand terms. As captain of the first place FVTC Auto Repair Olympics team, I demonstrated my ability to work accurately and effi ciently to diagnose hidden problems and correct them. I would like to request an interview to discuss my qualifications in detail and have enclosed my resume. I can be reached by phone at (920) 555-1234, by email at, or at the above address. Thank you for considering this request. Sincerely, Christine L. Rodriguez Christine L. Rodriguez Enclosure: Resume 30 Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents

Typing: leave 1 blank line Cover Letter Worksheet part 3 H Closing Paragraph If you will contact the employer to set up an interview: I would like to request an interview to discuss my qualifi cations in detail and have enclosed my resume. I will contact you within the next week to schedule an interview. I can be reached at the above address and phone number. Thank you for your consideration. or Thank you for taking the time to consider me for this position. I will call you on to date arrange an appointment that fi ts your schedule. I am looking forward to meeting you in person. If you prefer the employer contact you to set up an interview: I am certain that my skills and experience will be of value to your company. Please contact me if you have any additional questions or would like to arrange an interview. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to meeting you in person. Typing: leave 1 blank line I Closing/Signature/Name/Enclosure Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Best regards, Warm regards, Typing: leave 3 blank lines before your typed name, so you have enough room to sign your name Your signature Your typed full name Typing: leave 1 blank line Enclosure: Resume Don t forget to sign your name! Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents 31

Step 3: Get Feedback from Family, Friends, or Others i After you fi nish writing your cover letter, proofread it on the screen by using your word processing program s spell checker and by printing a copy and reading it. A. Double check your spelling especially the employer s name and address then have someone else proofread the fi nal copy. B. Show your cover letter to at least one other person, and ask that person to proofread it for spelling, punctuation and grammar, and overall content. C. Make changes to it as needed. D. Once you ve had someone else proofread your letter, print two or three copies on either white or off-white paper. Use the same paper as for your resume and reference list. E. Be sure to sign each copy in black or dark blue ink. You can keep the extras in your fi le to refer to later if you apply for other similar jobs. F. Keep in mind that you ll customize your cover letter for each job you apply for, so you don t need to print a whole lot of copies. Be sure to save your cover letter to a disk or to the computer s hard drive (if it s your computer). Step 4: Print and Send (with your Resume) i A. Along with your signed cover letter, be sure to include your resume in the envelope for the employer. B. Be sure to have the correct postage and list your return address on the envelope. C. Double-check the employer s name and mailing address as well. Step 5: Follow Up with the Employer i Now that you ve sent your resume and cover letter to an employer, the waiting begins. Or does it? A. About a week after you send the resume and cover letter, you may call or e-mail the employer to make sure they received what you sent, request an interview, and/or check to see whether the position has been fi lled. Some employers may not have gotten around to looking at your resume yet, and this may be what they need to start thinking about you and how you might be a good fi t for their company. B. However, don t call on a too-frequent basis or you will annoy the employer. C. Be polite and friendly when you contact the employer. Good follow up can make the difference between your resume and cover letter sitting unread in a pile and you being invited for an interview. 32 Finding A Job 2005 University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents