Cover Letter: PRCA 3711
A cover letter can put you on the map. It can bring attention to you so that hopefully you will stand out among the other applicants. It can also serve as the first impression of you that the potential empolyer can get. A cover letter is like the introduction to the rest of your resume and hopefully to an interview! Let’s just call a cover letter your sales pitch for yourself. You want to provide the employer with the best information about you so that you make the “sale”.
A cover letter is something that you can use to show off your good qualities, skills, and accomplishments. Be careful not to go over board. No one wants to read a cover letter that is too long. Try to keep it at one page and focus on the things about you that would make you stand out for that certain position. You want to try to keep the employer interested. You want to keep them wanting to know more about you. Make the employer excited to learn more about you and hopefully have you in for an interview to speak with you in person.
Also making sure that your cover letter has good grammar and punctuation is a great tip. Proof-read!!! You want it to be easy to read and understandable so make sure that it is written well. Bad puncuation and misspelled words does not scream “HIRE ME!”. Your cover letter should have perfect grammar. Use spell check, proof-read, even have friends or family members read it for you as well.
You want to sell yourself to the employer and really let them know that you are the perfect person for that position and a good cover letter can definitely help you to do just that. While a cover letter may not be long you still need to know how to write one. There are guidelines that can help you create the perfect cover letter for you. Unsure of how to write a cover letter? There are plenty of examples online to help you get started.
Your cover letter needs to be to the point and concise. You want to show off your talents and make sure that they relate to the position you are applying for. A cover letter should be directed towards a specific position. You should not use the same cover letter for multiple resumes. You want to make it unique for that job and company. This also means addressing it to the right person. You may have to do a little research for that, but it makes you look as though you are really putting in some effort for the job.
REMEMBER: Sell yourself. You want to give the employer just enough important information about you that gets their attention so that hopefully you will get an interview, call back, or possibly even a job. Keep it short, simple, and to the point. Highlight your best aspects within one page. Proof-read your letter before sending it in.
More Examples/Helpful Tips:
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/career/guides/cover_ltr.shtml
