Cover Letters

WHAT is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a brief letter that you write to your potential employer expressing your interest in the job and stating why you are applying.  In this letter, you should briefly describe your strengths and skills and how they match to the job of interest.  When you send a cover letter, you should always send a copy of your resume with it. 

WHY write a cover letter?

You write a cover letter to send along with your resume.  In other words, your cover letter serves as an introduction to your resume.  Sending just a resume in an envelope does not look as professional as sending a cover letter with your resume.  It is standard practice to send a cover letter, so in order to be most professional, you should send a cover letter.

HOW to write a cover letter:

• Like a resume, a cover letter is a formal document and needs to look professional.
• Your cover letter should be no longer than one page.
   
• It should be typed in a business-letter format, which contains the following information in this order: 
  
  
  • Your name and contact information
  • The name and address of the person you are writing
  • The date (including the date, month, and year)
  • The greeting or salutation (Example: Dear _____,)
  • The body of the letter (2 short paragraphs)
  • The closing phrase (Examples: "Sincerely" or "Thank you")
  • Your signature
  • Your typed full name
    
    
• A good way to organize the body of your cover letter is to have 2 paragraphs:
  
  

  1. 2. In the first paragraph, you should begin with a topic sentence.  This topic sentence should state why you are applying for that job or what type of job you are seeking.  You should then write a few sentences about why you would be a good person to hire for the job.  This paragraph is the place to highlight relevant past experiences and skills, or tell about your personal interest in the job.  While some of this information may also be listed on your resume, it is your chance to emphasize what you would like your potential employer to know about you.  The second paragraph in the body of the letter is generally very short.  In this paragraph, you can sum up your letter in a sentence or two.  Then, be sure to thank the person you are writing to for their time and consideration of your application.

Here are some tips to make your cover letter look professional: Proofread your cover letter very carefully.  Read it slowly and out loud to catch errors. There should be no typos or grammatical errors in your final cover letter.  Have a friend, colleague, teacher, mentor, family member, or counselor proofread your cover letter.  Print your cover letter on white paper (preferably high-quality paper).  Print your cover letter with black ink.  There should be no tears in your cover letter. Your cover letter should not be wrinkled.

Below are two different examples of cover letters.  Both examples follow the format described above. If you need additional assistance writing your cover letter, use this cover letter template.  Type your personalized information into the template and print it out. Cover letter sample #1 Cover letter sample #2 Cover letter sample #3 Cover letter template (Word Document)