CSC Guide Body 07-8.qxd 8/9/07 6:02 PM Page 25 How to Write A ??? Great Cover Letter While your resume is a summary of your credentials, your cover letter should essentially be a sales pitch. Your aim is to demonstrate why your skills and your background make a perfect match for the position for which you’re applying. Don’t summarize your background in the cover letter—you have already done that on your resume—but remember that employers typically receive hundreds of resumes for each job opening and a great cover letter can help you stand out from other job seekers. The best way to distinguish yourself is to highlight a few of your accomplishments or abilities that show you are an above-average candidate for this position. This will increase your chances of being remembered by the recruiter and of getting to the interview where you can elaborate on the rest of your accomplishments. Your letters should not only convey your interest and qualifications, but also give the employer an opportunity to observe your attentiveness to detail, spelling, grammar, and the overall quality of your written communication. Flaws in your letters will often be interpreted as flaws in your qualifications. You can also gain an extra edge by showing that you have some specific knowledge about the company and the industry. This shows that you are genuinely interested in the job you are applying for and that you are not blindly sending out hundreds of resumes. Employers will also view your interest as an indication that you are likely to stay with the company for a substantial period of time if you are hired. PREPARE It’s not enough to glance at a job opening and start writing your cover letter. You’ve got to make sure the letter looks right and that it doesn’t sound like you’ve sent the very same one to many other employers. Tailoring your letter specifically to the company and the position will impress recruiters and give you an added edge. 1. Read the job description and identify your specific qualifications that meet the needs of the employer. 2. Look for key knowledge, skills, and experiences that fit the job. 3. “Translate” into the language of the employer if necessary, focusing on “transferable skills.” 4. Gather information about the company, including speaking to people who can give you inside information. Consult the web for company home pages, analysts’ reports, newsgroups, and message boards; use web browsers like Google.com, Yahoo!, and Alta Vista and sites like WetFeet.com, Vault.com, Lexis/Nexis.com, Hoovers.com, and Reference.com looking for information on the company’s history, new products or services, size, sales revenue and locations. Check the CSC library for directories, books, brochures, and files about employers. Attend employer-sponsored events and speak with representatives to get a sense of the organization’s culture as well as its particular employment needs. Ask everyone you know for referrals to (former) company employees; find alumni using the alumni binders, then do informational interviews to learn as much as you can from these “supportive insiders.” WRITE Draft the letter, ideally with a few different openings, middle and closing paragraphs, in your own style but following the guidelines below and using the samples that follow (for ideas, NOT text to copy!). The following format is the clearest and most straightforward but others in the samples are acceptable. Err on the side of formality and don’t abbreviate any more than necessary. REVIEW Have a few people review and make editorial suggestions about your letter. Family and friends, career center staff, (former) employers, and faculty members are among those who should be considered for this role. REVISE Make changes to strengthen your letter based on the feedback you received in step 4 before sending it. FOLLOW UP Contact the person to whom you addressed the letter in a week or so if you haven’t heard back to be sure it was received and to inquire about next steps. STUDYING OFF CAMPUS? If you are studying abroad or in DC, you can still apply for summer internships but you MUST indicate in your cover letter that you are currently studying off campus. Some employers are willing to interview by phone. If you are selected for an on-campus interview, do not sign up for an interview time. Instead contact Charlene Kile, [email protected] to get instructions for setting up a phone interview. 2007–2008 CMC CAREER SERVICES CENTER GUIDE 25 CSC Guide Body 07-8.qxd 8/9/07 6:02 PM Page 26 How to Write A ??? Great Cover Letter THE BASICS Top Margin 2” (or more if letter is short) Font 11 Date Addressee’s Full Name Addressee’s Job Title Company Name Street Address City, State, ZIP Code Dear Mr. or Ms. Addressee’s Last Name: First Paragraph: Immediately explain that you are writing to apply for a job, perhaps mentioning how you heard about it, especially if from a current employee or other personal referral (give the person’s name in this case), and briefly state why the job and organization interest you. Second Paragraph: Tell why you are qualified for the position, providing specific details about a few (unique?) things you bring to the job and organization. Focus on how, based on concrete references to your previous performances, you will perform in your desired position and contribute to the company. Avoid giving your salary history or requirements, if possible, or give a range. Last Paragraph: Thank the person for their consideration and say what you will do to follow up. Closing Salutation (Sincerely, Best Regards, or similar) Your Full Name Your Mailing Address City, State, ZIP Code Phone Number (avoid using a work or pager number) Email Address Enclosure: Resume (NOTE: Remember to sign your letter above your typed name!) 26 2007–2008 CMC CAREER SERVICES CENTER GUIDE CSC Guide Body 07-8.qxd 8/9/07 6:02 PM Page 27 Cover Letter ??? Checklist n n n n n n n n n n n n n n 1. Is it addressed to a specific person? 2. Is the salutation followed by a colon rather than a comma? 3. Have you told the employer exactly what position you are applying for? 4. Have you stated why you are interested in the position and the organization? 5. Have you told the employer what you can do for the organization rather than what it can do for you? 6. Did you use specific examples to sell your skills? 7. Is the sentence structure varied? Have you limited the use of the words “I” and “My” to begin sentences? 8. Have you requested action, mentioning that you will call, or are available to be contacted for an interview? 9. Did you express appreciation for the employer considering your application? 10. Is it a tailored letter rather than a mass-produced copy? 11. Is it neat and attractive? Is it free of spelling and grammatical errors? 12. Does the whole letter fit on one page? 13. Is it laser-printed on high-quality paper that matches your resume? 14. Did you sign it? 3 Sample Cover Letters 2007–2008 CMC CAREER SERVICES CENTER GUIDE 27 CSC Guide Body 07-8.qxd 8/9/07 6:02 PM Page 28 Sample Cover ??? Letters 28 2007–2008 CMC CAREER SERVICES CENTER GUIDE CSC Guide Body 07-8.qxd 8/9/07 6:02 PM Page 29 The Thank You ??? Letter/Note It is important to write thank-you letters! Take advantage of the opportunity to: n reinforce your interest in the company and the job n re-introduce yourself to the company n differentiate yourself from other candidates n provide additional information n address an issue that you may have overlooked during the interview Use the KISS approach with the thank-you letter: KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE. FAQs REGARDING THE THANK-YOU LETTER SHOULD I SEND A THANK-YOU LETTER? WHEN? Absolutely! In the hiring decision, sometimes the thank-you letter could affect whether or not a job offer is extended. You should write and send the letter within 1–2 days after the interview. WHAT SHOULD I WRITE IN MY LETTER? Make reference to your interview to help the interviewer remember you. Emphasize something significant which transpired during the interview. Comment on the informativeness of the interview. Let the interviewer know if you received any new or additional information from the interview. Reiterate your interest in the job and the company. SAMPLE THANK-YOU NOTE/LETTER: Dear Mr. Simpson, I appreciated the opportunity to meet with you to discuss my interest in the Research Associate position with XYZ company. Your explanation of the training phase of employment was very helpful. It gave me a better understanding of the responsibilities of this position. I am confident that I can be a productive employee for XYZ. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Gwendolyn Morris SHOULD I SEND A LETTER TO EVERY PERSON WITH WHOM I INTERVIEWED? Yes. It is also appropriate to send a letter to the person who arranged for your interviews, such as the company recruiter or the office coordinator. HOW LONG SHOULD THE LETTER BE? Remember . . . KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE, no more than three paragraphs. SHOULD I USE PRE-PRINTED THANK-YOU CARDS? Pre-printed cards are acceptable if they are not too “flowery” or “cutesy.” CAN IT BE HAND-WRITTEN? Personal handwriting is a very nice touch if your handwriting is very legible. (Word-processed) letters are also fine, but be sure to sign in ink. CAN I EMAIL MY LETTER? SAMPLE THANK-YOU NOTE/LETTER FOR MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS: Dear Mr. Simpson, Thank you for arranging for my interviews with XYZ company. The opportunity to meet with the members of the marketing team was very helpful and gave me a better understanding of what the Research Associate position entails and what I would be doing if offered the job. Would you please convey my appreciation to Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones for the time that they spent with me. I found my interviews with them to be very informative and appreciate the opportunity to have met with both of them. I remain very interested in the position and look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Gwendolyn Morris We recommend that if you are going to email your thank you letter, you also send a hard copy. Make sure your email letter is just as professional and error free as a hard copy. Do not mail your letter as an attachment. 2007–2008 CMC CAREER SERVICES CENTER GUIDE 29