(Back to Student Blog Index)
Cover Letters
Hello everyone! Hope all is calm after the storm and everyone has his or her power up and running. This week I am going to be discussing cover letters and how a great cover letter can help land you your dream job.
A cover letter helps complement the highlights of your resume. Most cover letters you will be composing at first will be the application cover letter. The application cover letter responds to a job opening that you are applying for.
Every cover letter you write for every position you apply for needs to be different because each company differs from another and each position at a company is unique. However, each cover letter you write will focus on the same three things:
At the beginning of your cover letter, you should include your contact information at the very top of the page. A proper greeting should be followed, usually use Dear and include the person’s title whether it be Doctor or Mr. The body of your cover letter includes a lot of important information the company needs to know about you. First and foremost include why you are applying for the position you desire. If you have a reference for the job, be sure to include it in the first paragraph. Next list all of the qualifications and experience you have to offer your potential employer. When you have numerous qualifications and skills, it is okay to bullet in a cover letter. Lastly, thank the employer for the time he or she is putting into reviewing your application and give a phone number or e-mail where you can be contacted.
Again, it is important to highlight what you can offer for the company and position you are applying for. Cover letters can make or break job offers and the details are important to the success of a good cover letter. Always send a resume along with a cover letter. Next week we will go further into writing a good résumé.
—Phyllis
