Quick Guide to Writing Cover Letters
Follow these tips to craft an effective cover letter!
Your cover letter is comprised of three parts – your introduction, your body paragraphs and your closing.
Introduction: GET THEIR ATTENTION!
In the first paragraph, your purpose is to get their attention, summarize your qualifications, connect to the reader:
- Include the position title
- Where you learned of it
- Summarize your relevant qualifications, strengths, or achievements
- Share why you fit with the organization
Body Paragraphs: GENERATE INTEREST!
The body paragraphs are your opportunity to show your fit with the role by sharing specific, relevant examples of your skills and experiences:
- Using the job posting, share specific examples of when youāve excelled at the required knowledge, skills, or abilities.
- Make your case by including relevant key qualifications, related experiences, transferable skills, and strengths
- Be sure to provide specific example stories – think show vs tell.
Closing: SUMMARIZE AND CALL TO ACTION
The closing paragraph allows you to leave a strong impression!
- Remind the reader of your interest and fit with the position and organization
- Include your call to action: āaskā for the interview
- Repeat your contact information to instruct them on the best mode of communication
- Convey gratitude and enthusiasm
Follow these tips to ensure you submit a professional, effective cover letter:
- Use the header from resume to create cohesive application materials
- Under your heading – after 2 line spaces – include the date
- Under the date – after 2 line spaces – include the recipient address block including employer name (when available), title, company name and address
- Set margins to 1.0 (0.5 at the top if using resume header)
- Clean, legible, professional font (no Comic Sans or Olde English) in 10-12 pt size
- Single spaced, add one space between paragraphs
- File name ex: FullName_Application.docx
- Salutation tips:
- Keep it professional (Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms./Mx)
- Use first and last name if unsure of gender preference
- Address to Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Hiring Team when no recipient name is available
- DO NOT use āTo Whom It May Concernā
- Closing tips:
- Use professional sign off: Sincerely, Kind Regards, etc.
- 4 line returns between closing and name
- Adding a digital signature is a nice touch. Using typeface font representing your signature is acceptable, but not necessary.
- Content tips:
- Organization: Arranged information logically, identify the main idea of each paragraph, employ useful transitions.
- Conciseness: Avoid unnecessary or repetitious words, phrases or trite expressions, leave out irrelevant, repetitive, or unnecessary information.
- Concreteness: Use precise details, specific and accurate facts effectively. Use specific examples to describe relevant experiences.
- Correctness: Check spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation. Check again, and again, and one more time!
Each cover letter should be written specifically for each new opportunity. It is very obvious to the reader when cookie cutter letters are used and reused. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to show you understand the role, the company and you have the specific skills and knowledge to match and be a great addition to their team:
- Review the job description and highlight relevant skills/experiences from the job description
- Choose 3 specific skills or experiences you have that they NEED!
- Jot down notes about your own skills and experiences and brainstorm specific example stories (See tip #4 for guidance on developing your stories)
- Review the company website, read news about the company, and/or talk to connections that can help you understand how the company operates and what they value. Make note of how you align and weave this information through your letter. Answer why you want to work there and how you can help the company achieve success.
When drafting your cover letter, it is a good practice to share specific example stories of when you’ve successfully used the skills and demonstrated the experiences required in the positions. Identify three of the areas of expertise that you can demonstrate and write your stories. We have a cover letter hack: use the same model when developing your answers to behavioral interview questions – the STAR model:
The following example story could be used to illustrate problem solving, client management, meeting deadlines, and many more!
- Situation: During a previous Sales Support Internship at Wilson Direct Marketing,
- Task: I successfully responded to an urgent client need when a client requested changes to their marketing campaign.
- Action: Within a threeāhour window, I prioritized this request, quickly brainstormed strategic solutions, and worked with the client via phone and email to make changes.
- Result: As a result, we exceeded product delivery expectations, they renewed their contract, and awarded us two new projects. I welcome the opportunity to bring this same level of initiative to Chesapeake Media Group.
Here’s how it might look as an example paragraph in a cover letter:
Client Relations: During a previous Sales Support Internship at Wilson Direct Marketing, I successfully responded to an urgent client need when a client requested changes to their marketing campaign. Within a threeāhour window, I prioritized this request, quickly brainstormed strategic solutions, and worked with the client via phone and email to make changes. As a result, we exceeded product delivery expectations, they renewed their contract, and awarded us two new projects. I welcome the opportunity to bring this same level of initiative to Chesapeake Media Group.
Using ChatGPT or other AI programs can assist you drafting your cover letter. Us it to help with content generation, tailoring to the position, editing advice, language review, and to save time. Remember to use these platforms as a tool alongside your own judgment and expertise, and always review and personalize the content to ensure it aligns with your unique qualifications and the specific job requirements. Here are some sample prompts:
- I am applying to entry level <insert job title> positions and would like help identifying skills and experiences to include in my cover letter. Based on the following job description, what are the top 3-5 skills I should incorporate into my letter? <paste job description>
- I am applying to a <insert job title>. Could you review my cover letter with the job description and provide suggestions for improving? <paste job description and cover letter draft>
How long should my cover letter be? Keep your cover letter concise, ideally one page. Highlight your key qualifications in three to four paragraphs, providing specific examples that align with the job requirements.
Should I address my cover letter to a specific person, and what if I don’t know who will be reading it? Whenever possible, yes. If a name is not listed, research on the company’s website, or contact the HR department. If all else fails, a generic greeting such as “Dear Hiring Manager” is acceptable. Avoid using, āTo Whom It May Concern.ā
How should I submit my cover letter? Adhere to the job posting instructions for proper submission. If attachments are allowed, save your cover letter as a PDF with a clear and professional filename like “FirstName_LastName_CoverLetter.pdf.”
Cover lettersāused for both job and internship applicationsāare a great way to demonstrate your connection to the position you are seeking. Show how your past experience, education, and skills directly relate to the job or internship posting and demonstrate how you fit within the organization.
- Highlight relevant skills, experiences, and accomplishments
- Demonstrate your fit to the organization and position
- Persuade reader to interview you
Do I REALLY need a cover letter?
While not all companies require a cover letter and it is optional in some cases, it provides you the opportunity to:
- Show your fit to the role AND the company by providing how your work style and values align with the company.
- Provides you an opportunity to demonstrate your business writing skills
- Gives you space to include some extra information – including who referred you, information about relocating if you are applying for positions out of town, or a chance to explain any gaps of time.
- You can match your qualifications in a narrative format. Resumes are about what you have done, while cover letters are about how you’ve been successful!
- More evidence about the usefulness of cover letters:
