Formulate
Your Cover Letter
You have just created your resume and now want to mail it off to prospective
employers. The resume is a concise outline of what you have to offer. The
cover letter is the sales pitch that will encourage the reader to look
over your outline. It is a chance to show the reader the person beneath
the accomplishments, to make a personal connection between the reader and
your background. You can let the employer know you are willing to relocate,
that you have a mutual acquaintance, that you've done your homework on
the company and know how you can be an asset to them.
How can you do all this in just a one-page business letter? By keeping in mind
just two notions: style and format.
Style
Every cover letter should be a
personal communication between you and the employer.
You should
write and individually type each letter you send.
It should follow a business format, but give the reader a sense of you,
the
person. A preprinted letter will not be read. (Do you read your mail that
is addressed to "occupant"?) Be sure you haven't made any typographical
errors and that the letter looks professional. This is your chance to show
the reader the quality of your work. Be sure your demonstration shows you
at your best.
What makes a letter successful? An
opening that catches the reader's attention right
from the start. Your opening line is critical,
as is the first paragraph.
(Again, think back to your "occupant" mail-if you do open it
out of boredom, how much do you actually read? That's about how much
time you have
to make your impression.) If you have that mutual friend or are answering
an ad the employer placed in the paper, say so right off. Immediately
mention the traits you want the reader to consider when thinking of you.
Or, construct
an interesting opening that jumps out and makes a point. Look at these
and
see what you think:
"Good
sales people are hard to find! I'm talking
about the
dynamic, assertive, shirt-sleeves type who
wants to learn, grow and be successful. Someone
who
doesn't think 'satisfactory' is good enough.
A person who digs to the root of a marketing
approach and then not only forms solutions,
but follows through as well. I am she."
or
"I'm the product of a three-generation commitment to engineering: my father
through aerospace, my grandfather through automotive. Now it's my turn. Just
graduating from college, I'm eager to get my career rolling with a company
like National Widget."
or
"I'm ready. Equipped with a bachelor's degree in psychology, a year's worth
of counseling experience and a lot of enthusiasm, I'm ready to start my career
in a social service agency like Anacapa Associates."
or
"What makes me different from
all the other college graduates looking for
a job at your bank? A successful record of diversified experience,
an eager desire to learn and the willingness
and determination to get the job done.
Those are
the assets I offer you."
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Or, you may want to try to get the
reader's attention by saying you are willing to
work for free for three months because you want
to show
the
company what
you have to offer. Companies are unlikely to accept this kind of
offer, but it will certainly grab the attention
of the people to whom you
are writing.
In the body of the letter demonstrate
your knowledge of the company's services and products.
Show how
your specific interests, traits
and education make
you a perfect fit. This is the heart of your letter. Make your
statements short
and to the point. Close the letter by letting the employer know
how he or she can reach you and by taking the responsibility
yourself for
the
next step.
Tell the reader when you will contact him/her to see when the
two of you might meet to talk in person. This is
not being pushy-it
is showing
initiative.
Consider borrowing an idea from successful
direct mail writers: use a "P.S." which
achieves high readership and response. For example:
"P.S. Jim Smith, whom you've
recently hired, is a friend of mine. Please
feel free to ask him about my qualifications
and what he thinks I can contribute to your
company."
or
"P.S. I'll be in Houston most of next week at a Marketing and Advertising
conference. That may make me hard to reach, so I'll take the liberty of calling
you on the 23rd." |
The basic point is to write a letter that would persuade
the reader that he or she would want to hire you. This is
the heart
of style.
Format
If the heart of style is to convince the reader you are perfect
for the job, the heart of format is to do that perfectly.
Use one of the standard
business letter formats. There is no best format; as long
as you keep to one of the standards, you will be fine. If
you
are unfamiliar with
business
letter
formats, come by Career Services and ask to
see one of our books on cover letters. The critical component
is
that it must
be
letter
perfect.
Proofread your draft several times and retype it if necessary.
Be sure your cover letter, resume and envelope are all the
same stationary.
If you need
to, you can buy matching stationary for your cover letters
and envelopes from the copy shop where you made copies of
your resume.
Remember,
you want to show
that your work is not simply O.K., it's the best it can be.
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