AIE — Adventures In Education

College Students

Cover Letters

Highlight your skills and experience in a well-written cover letter.

Now that you have developed a resume to apply for a job, you need to create a cover letter. A cover letter should accompany your application every time you apply for a job. It serves as a formal introduction and should briefly reflect why you are qualified for a position. A cover letter also does the following:

Gives an employer a snapshot of your personality.
Signals that you pay attention to details.
Conveys professionalism.
Demonstrates immediately your written communication skills.
Gives you an opportunity to highlight your skill sets and experience.

Getting started on your cover letter — things to think about

Why are you applying for the job? What are your objectives?
What are your reasons for wanting to work for the employer?
What are your skill sets and how do they fit into the job you are applying for as well as the vision and mission of the employer?

Cover letter guidelines

Keep it short, usually one page.
Ask a reliable source to read and edit your cover letter before you send it.
Customize your letter as much as possible by acknowledging the reader and the employer.
Focus on what you can offer the employer.
Express your career aspirations and goals.
Establish what makes you different from other candidates. Recruiters get a lot of cover letters and resumes, so make yours stand out.

Sample cover letter

1234 Hire Me Drive
Anytown, USA 12345

February 12, 2006

E. M. Ployment
Director of Recruiting
CompanyCo
567 E. Opportunity Way
Jobsville, USA 34567

Dear Mr. Ployment:

I am responding to the employment opportunity listed on your Web site. Please accept this letter and accompanying resume as evidence of my interest in applying for the (position title) at (company name).

I have the following experience (add experience here) which makes me uniquely qualified for this position.

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how my skills would meet the needs of your company. Attached is my resume for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Common Resume Mistakes

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Sample Resumes

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