Instructor Blog #4: Cover Letters
Submitted by eplough on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 14:37.
Now that you've written a resume, the next step is to flesh out that information in a cover letter. One of the biggest mistakes people make with the cover letter is just repeating information that can be found on the resume. What's the point of that? They already have that information in an easier to read format (hopefully), so you want to build off that, not repeat it. The cover letter is a great opportunity to flesh out some aspects of your professional experience that aren't easy to convey. So if you did a cool project at work, or have an interesting accomplishment, or if some volunteer experience really applies to the job, this is a good place to discuss it. Find some unique, relevant part of yourself to elaborate on the cover letter.
Remember, the cover letter will be read only if your resume survives one or perhaps several cuts. So the main purpose of the cover letter is to build a bridge between the resume and the job by explaining in more detail how you will serve as an asset to the company. The letter specifically relates how your past experience and personality embodies the qualities the company is seeking, which is why I again remind you to reference the keywords used in the company's job ad. You'll probably want to choose a few of these words and use them to organize your letter explicitly. You can write something in the introduction such as "I believe the communication skills, leadership, and team building ability developed by my past experience will make me an asset to Cogwell's Cogs." Then, in the paragraphs below, demonstrate specific instances of communication, leadership, and team building.
Structurally, the cover letter is fairly formal. It is almost always one page, 10-12 point professional looking serif or sans-serif font, and 3-4 short, concise paragraphs. I recommend that students use the header from their resume at the top of their cover letter, treating it almost as a letter head for yourself. This makes your documents look uniform and professional, and makes your contact info easy to find. When I was on a job search, I had several people mention that they were impressed with this strategy. I also cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get a name for the greeting of your letter. If the job ad does not include a name, call the company's HR department to find out if you can get it (you don't have to give your name on the phone.) Including a name is infinitely better than writing "To Whom it May Concern:" At the very least, put "Dear HR Coordinator:"
The opening paragraph introduces yourself, the job you're applying for, where you heard about it, and establishes the structure for the letter. This needs to be done as concisely as possible, usually within 2-4 sentences, because you don't want to waste half the letter telling us where you heard about the job. You also want to figure out what the angle of your letter is going to be, probably by focusing on 1-3 key terms in the cover letter and elaborating on them. Then, you can structure the paragraphs below around those key terms (so if your first paragraph key terms are computer skills and team player, paragraph two is about computer skills and paragraph three is about being a team player.)
This is also a good place to include some research about the company. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to research the company before writing your cover letter. It doesn't take long to visit the company website, and it shows your interest and makes you stand apart from the fray. You can include this research in your letter in a number of ways. It could relate to your interest in the job. "Dunder Mifflin's sales position is interesting to me because I have always wanted to work for a company that offers continual sales training." It could relate your experience to the job. "My extensive coursework in particle acceleration makes me an excellent fit with a company that has the second largest particle accelerator in North America." It could also relate your qualities to the job. "Because of my past teaching experience, I respect LuthorCorp's commitment to philanthropy in local schools." Find a way to include a reference to something specific about the company, as long as it doesn't sound like you're sucking up and as long as it doesn't sound too much like a benefit for you - i.e. "I've always wanted to work for a company with a foosball machine in the cafeteria."
As you develop the body of your letter, you want to be specific. Don't just tell us you worked somewhere. Tell us what you did, what you accomplished, and how those abilities and accomplishments will serve the company reading the letter. So don't just write "I worked as a computer programmer last summer." Try something like "While working as a computer programmer, I led a 10 person development team which used C++ to create the most advanced educational software ever marketed by Wayne Industries." Here, job title, teamwork, leadership, computer skills, and accomplishments are all conveyed in a sentence. This is both impressive and concise, and conciseness is very, very important in a letter where you don't have much space. In another example, a friend of mine applying for a legal clerkship wrote in his letter "Last summer, I was a associate at DLA Piper Rudnick. While there I completed more projects and accumulated more hours than any other summer associate in the California offices. I drafted motions, briefs, pleadings, licenses, and agreements in addition to writing an array of research memorandums." This gives an impressive accomplishment and a thorough description of his duties. It's much stronger than just "I was a clerk this one time at DLA Piper Rudnick."
As you write, consider your tone. You want to be cordial and convey your personality while remaining professional. You want to focus on why you will be good for the company. Remember, they don't care about you at all, so keep all your focus on them and how you will serve them. And always sound motivated. Never write "While in Engineering 251, I had to give a lot of oral presentations." Write "During my Engineering 251 project which required the construction of a solar powered car in three weeks, I gave 12 presentations to community leaders in order to raise $3,000 for the project." Remember, you are a motivated, excited worker, not someone dragging their feet who must be forced to do things.
In the last paragraph, summarize the reasons you would be an asset for the company before restating your interest, mentioning your hope for an interview, and including your personal contact info. Include both a telephone number and email address for contact in the final paragraph, even though you included it in the letterhead above. Redundancy is a good thing for contact info. You can say that you will call to follow up, but do so politely and make sure you actually do it. Close by thanking the person for their time and consideration. Sign the letter "Respectfully," or "Sincerely," leave some space to sign your name, and then type your name below.
As you are composing, I cannot stress enough that it is important to remember the situation in which the letter is written and read. Are you writing as someone with little experience in the field? A lot of experience? Fresh out of college? Changing careers? Your letter needs to be catered to these circumstances, just like it needs to be catered to the reader. Are you sending the letter in cold? After a job fair conversation? To a friend of a friend? Keep all those details in mind. Also remember to give your letter a logical organization, focus on job keywords, and convey why you are going to be an asset to the company. (Thanks to Ryan Weber for content)
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Importance of cover letters
It seems like that although the resume is what is going to create interest in you at first, the cover letter is what is really going to sell yourself to the company. This is where you will be able to explain the key points in your resume. Throughout most of my posts on here, I have used the word guidelines, when talking about the instructions given to write in a business setting. This post is another good example of a set of guidelines to write a cover letter. Because you need to adjust your resume and cover letter for each job you apply for, it is hard to follow a specific set of rules. I like how this post gives you ideas of what to write in each paragraph and the layout of the letter. The examples of how to write a job description was helpful because it shows how to expand on the description and creates more interest by the reader.
Cover letters and the value of experience
I have never written a cover letter before and this blog defiantly gave me clear direction as to where my cover letter should be going. I think that for the job I am applying for a cover letter will be particularly valuable. In my opinion the elaboration of my experiences and my personality are going to have the biggest impact in getting me hired as a Teacher’s Aide for children 6 weeks to 6 years. I have always fond that my experience working with children teaches me far more about them than any class ever could. However for any job I think being able to further explain your accomplishments and how these accomplishments will benefit the company you are pursuing is valuable.
Cover Letter Blog Response
I can honestly say that I have never written a cover letter before and the idea of writing one is a little overwhelming. I can’t imagine trying to write a competitive cover letter without the guidelines presented in this class. Even though most people tend to put more emphasis on fine tuning their resume, I believe they should spend just as much, if not more, time on their cover letter. The cover letter allows people to go into detail on their specific duties and responsibilities at their previous positions. These details can really help an employer get an idea of who the applicant really is and if they are compatible for the position. I plan on keeping a copy of my cover letter after this class is finished for future assistance when applying to real positions.
Nicole VanDeLeest
Response to Instructor Blog No. 4
This blog discussing cover letters was very informative. It explained the structure and even the formatting of a professional cover letter. To create a quality cover letter, it must not repeat what has already been covered in the resume. Instead, it must expand on your résumé’s presented information and make the connection to the desired job. It is essential to explain how you will serve as an asset to the company. The whole application process is a mission to sell yourself as a worthy employee. It is advantageous to explain how your personality will mesh with the company culture. I thought that creating a letterhead for yourself by using the same header and contact information as your resume was a brilliant idea. This is a very professional way to display your skills in creating business documents. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the reader noticed your name again when first glancing at the document. It is important, as rhetoric always is, to compose your cover letter with consideration of your current situation. My cover letter will have to explain that I am graduating college and eager to start a career where I can excel.
Ryan L. Ross
Cover Letter
I have never written a cover letter before, but I think now I am much more prepared. I never realized that you could include a personal letter with your resume. I guess I never gave much thought to what was in one because I didn’t really think I needed one. Now I see that it is a great place to be able to describe yourself in much better detail and show your prospective employer a little more than just who your accomplishments say you are. Another thing I found interesting was including someone’s name when you mail the letter. I can see how that would be important and make the letter look more personalized. I also never thought about including things you have found in researching the company in your cover letter. Overall I feel much more prepared to write this cover letter after reading this blog.
Instructor Blog #4
I found this blog on cover letters to be very informative. The information conveyed in this blog entry shows the importance of a cover letter. Not only does it signify that a cover letter is important, this blog educates us that a cover letter represents all of the details that were too lengthy to discuss on a resume. I learned from this blog that the cover letter represents what you are about and how you will fit perfectly into the job you are applying for. I also realize now the importance of choosing key words from the company’s mission statement. This will help attach you to what the company is about and what their goals are. This blog was very informative and although I am new to writing cover letters, I think I am ready to start mine.
Cover Letter response
Cover letter is the second important thing after resume. In my opinion, the challenging thing is to compose short and effective paragraphs that explain well all my professional experience and personality. I always feel lazy to write a cover letter; since I can’t just make one and send it to all company I apply for. Research on the Internet about the company is a great idea to be included in the cover letter. It could relate to my interest in the job, as well as show my interest in that company. This blog is really help, I think all cover letters I wrote before are even far from the minimum expectation and I will try to make one that follows your suggestions.
GC
Instructor blog #4 - Cover letters
Before this class I had only heard about cover letters once. I have never had the chance to compose one and did not know what they were to consist of. This blog really helped me to understand what information is covered in cover letters. Researching the company is always a good idea. I have been told that by past teachers and a friend who was applying for an internship. I like the advice about mentioning in the first paragraph the two or three key words or skills that you are going to elaborate on in the letter. Companies always mention certain skills that a job requires. I did not think about using those keywords in your cover letter to help separate you from others applying. This blog had a lot of good information and ideas to help me write my cover letter for my resume.
Cover Letters
I have never written a cover letter before and after reading this blog, I feel a less nervous going into it. Although the resume is what catches the employer's attention at first, it seems that the cover letter is what could really seal the deal. There were many helpful tips that I picked up while reading this blog and plan on putting those to use when I write my cover letter. One of the things that stuck out to me was to include parts of the company and their success within your cover letter. I feel that this is a good way to show the company that you are sincerely interested in them and that you have an edge on the others applying for your position. Also, considering your audience is something that is key when writing a cover letter. Knowing who your audience is and where you stand with the company should be explained appropriately within the cover letter. I also like how this blog suggested how the cover letter is written; the three body paragraphs, the header etc. Before I read this, I had no idea how to start writing a cover letter, but now I feel much more comfortable and have a sense of direction of what I want to include.
Cover Letters
Last month, I wrote my first cover letter, having no idea what I was trying to achieve. Luckily, I found the “Cover Letters” blog to be very useful. I have heard of cover letters before, but I am not too familiar with them. My only source for help was reading my older brother’s letters that had be saved on his computer. Reading this blog gave me insight to guide me in the formation of cover letters.
I find these letters to be a personal challenge, because I lack the ability to condense my writing. To be able to express myself in just a few sentences, instead of writing a novel, I could gain the power to form stronger sentences. The advice to “reference the keywords used in the company’s job as” is such a great idea. Something as simple as mentioning specific qualifications the job entails can put one a step higher then their competition.
Ultimately, I believe cover letters are valuable to applicants to fully express components in their resumes. I feel that it is very important to showcase one’s personality in this letter, because with out it, one can’t give a full description of one’s self.
Research: The Key to a Succcessful Cover Letter
Like some of the other students have mentioned, I too have never done a cover letter. I have never even thought about writing a cover letter, but I can see how it could be beneficial to me in the future. There were several suggestions made in this blog that I thought were very helpful. I can see how it would be easy to repeat what you have put on your resume. I believe that if you can expand on your resume rather than just repeat it, a cover letter could act as a tool while going through the hiring process that will set you apart from everyone else applying for the same job. I felt that another good tip was to research the company and use key words from the company's ad as well as from their website. Although I have never done a cover letter, I do research companies quite thoroughly and can see the benefits from doing so. If you take the time to do research and are able to implement it into your cover letter, I think you will gain some major bonus points. Overall, I believe that if you do your research and put together a heartfelt cover letter that does more than repeat your resume, you will be successful.
Instructor's Blog #4: Cover Letters
This particular reading gave more insight to why we write cover letters. I have been told, in the past, to include a cover letter with all of my resumes, but never what topics should be covered and in what format. I have always reiterated my resume in the form of the cover letter because I thought if the Human Resource coordinator liked what she saw in it, she would continue to read my resume. Now, I understand that I need to go into much great detail, since resumes are short blips of my previous work experience. I need to set up my cover letter like an English paper: A beginning (a list of my skills), a middle (details about the skills), and an end (Sincerely and my signature/typed name). It is such an easy format to follow and will help my future Human Resource encounters.
Cover Letters
I really enjoyed reading this particular blog. I enjoyed the fact that it gave a step by step guide for writing a cover letter. I know that this blog will be very helpful when I have to create my very own cover letter. The cover letter I currently use is one that I copied off the internet. All I had to do was fill in the blanks. The problem with this cover letter is the fact that it is very vague and impersonal. I think a cover letter is something that directly reflects the person who is writing it. My goal for this part of the employment project is to create a cover letter that accurately describes what I have gained from all the jobs I have had, and all the projects I have worked on.
(No subject)
Cover Letters
For me, cover letters have always been the hardest part of the process of getting a job or interview. I have taken classes before at Purdue such as Com 325, the interviewing class, and we touched a bit on cover letters but I still don't feel comfortable. Luckily for me, my past interviews have been based on connections and references and they only asked me for my resume when I was already in the interview in person. Apparently from everyone I've talked to , they thought that was a strange way of interviewing, but I liked it. It saved me the pain of writing a good one. My problem with cover letters is that I want to write too much and try to sell myself too much as if the cover letter was the interview. If I write too little, then it seems as if it isn't good enough. Reading the past blog has already helped me out a bit in confidence for future writing and I look forwarding to learning more.
Response to Instructor Blog #4 - Cover Letters
I never thought I would need to write a cover letter. I am in an industry where the companies look up my resume online and then decide if they would like to interview me. I have never been the one to send out my resume to a particular company, because my position is in very high demand. The companies are the ones doing the search for employees. However, I have written cover letters in the past. I did this in highschool, when it was required. I was always told the cover letter would be the first item read by the HR personnel. This made sense to me because, well, it is the COVER letter. After reading the posts about how resumes are truly treated in the real world, I now see this is not the case. I was always under the impression the cover letter should leave the reader wanting to learn more about you. That way, they will continue to read your resume. This is why I particularly thought I would never need to write a cover letter, because the HR personnel would already be reading my resume. Now I can see the difference a cover letter would make while comparing my resume to another candidate.
cover letter response
Although Resume is what the employer is going to look at, the cover letter is going to give the first impression on how you Resume is going to be. If your cover letter is messed up then the employer might not even look at your resume. after reading the blog on cover letters I learned many new things. I am sure that these things will help me understand and write the cover letter.The cover letter needs to be formal and that is so because it shows your attitude towards the employer or the interviewer.Mr Plough has perfectly explained the layout and how to go about writing each paragraph. When writing the cover letter, one should make sure that it caters to the specific needs and should be pleasing to the eye. If one keeps the cover letter simple then the employer is sure to read your resume.