A cover letter is your chance to make a strong first impression and complement your resume. It provides an opportunity to showcase your personality, explain your interest in the position, and highlight your most relevant skills and experiences.
After researching the position and company, you can then compose your letters to show how your background and talents can meet the reader’s needs; convince the reader of your value as a prospective employee; and persuade the reader to take action in your favor.
Define Yourself
Clarifying your career direction and articulating your value to employers will make an effective letter. Ideally, your letters should flow from and be linked to, the following career development tasks:
- Assessing your abilities, skills, knowledge, interests, preferences, values and motivations
- Researching and evaluating occupations, jobs and employers
- Defining your work objectives and career goals
- Writing a professional-level resume
- Planning and implementing your job-search campaign
- Interviewing for job opportunities
- Choosing appropriate work
Cover Letter Structure
- Structure your application letters with 3 or 4 paragraphs:
- Come to the point. Reveal your purpose and interest. Identify the position and your source of information. Introduce your themes.
- Outline your strongest qualifications that match the position requirements based on the themes you selected. As much as possible, provide evidence of your related experiences and accomplishments. Refer to your enclosed resume.
- Suggest an action plan. Request an interview, and indicate that you will call during a specific time period to discuss interview possibilities.
- Express appreciation to the reader for his or her time and consideration.
Source: Job Choices: Diversity Addition 2012 “Art of Writing Job-Search Letters” by William J. Banis
