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Featured Article
Cover Letters That Will Get You Noticed
November 2, 2007
Your cover letter is often the employer's first impression
of you. What impression do you convey with one that is unoriginal, boring,
disorganized, or poorly written? Here are a few tips that will help get
you noticed (in a good way).
- Think about your purpose for writing the cover letter.
Employers often use cover letters to determine whether or not you would
be a good fit for the position and for their company. Make sure to clearly state
in the first sentence your purpose for writing the letter, and include
the exact job title or job number of the position. Also, think carefully
about the message you are trying to send to employers. Your cover letter
should not be a laundry list of items from your resume and should instead
include 2-3 experiences that you would like to highlight that show
you are a good fit for the position. These experiences can include coursework,
class projects, internships, part-time jobs, leadership positions, volunteer
work, extracurricular activities, etc.
- Network your way to the best cover letters through
employer info sessions and career fairs.
A great way to grab an employer's attention is to mention any company
representatives you have spoken to or events you have attended
such as information sessions and career fairs (make it a point to ask
for business cards so you can keep track of who you have talked to).
Also mention what you learned about the company or the position by
talking to representatives and attending these events. This shows the employer
that you are sincerely interested in the position and also that you made an effort
to learn more about them.
- Show what value you can bring to the company instead of what they
can offer you.
Employers want to hear why you would be a good asset to the company.
Make sure to explain how your educational background, skills, and experiences
will add value to their company rather than what the company can do
for you. Don't make the broad claim that "I'm confident that my
skills, training and experience make me an excellent candidate for your
position." Rather, present them with concrete examples of the skills,
training, and/or experiences that are the basis for your confidence,
and leave it to them to reach that conclusion. Be sure to provide sufficient
context so they can clearly understand the relevance of your qualifications
to the job at hand.
- Personalize your cover letter.
Mention specifically why you are personally attracted to the position
and company. Make sure to avoid cliché answers like, "I
want to work at your company because of its great reputation" and
instead focus on what truly interests you about this company in terms
of its culture, training opportunities, projects, clients, etc. Also,
tie in your own interests and experiences to explain why you are a good
fit for the position.
- Make your cover letter engaging and interesting to read!
Be sure to convey your enthusiasm in applying for the position; tell
stories and give examples that paint a fuller picture of your skills
and experiences as they relate to the position.
Other Cover Letter Tips
- Address the cover letter to the person who will be receiving it (use
their contact information on the CalJobs
posting or contact the employer directly to see who is the hiring manager
for the position).
- Check spelling of name & company
- One page maximum
- Be brief and to the point; every point should support your application
- Avoid starting every sentence with "I"
- Be consistent - use the same font as you used for your resume
- Spell check and have someone else proofread before sending (sometimes
spell check doesn't catch everything!)
Finally
Be sure to follow up with the employer in 2-3 weeks if you have not heard
from them. In your follow-up email, reiterate your interest in the position
and ask about the status of your application and if they need any further
information from you.
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Job & Internship Guide - Resume & Letter Writing (PDF file)