Designing Your Cover Letter

Cover letters serve as a bridge between your resume and the specific job to which you are applying. A well-written, organized cover letter directs the reader to key areas of your experience and background that specifically pertain to the open position. There is not a “one size fits all” cover letter. A cover letter is also a reflection of your writing skills, so take time and care to proofread and review your document.

SEND A COVER LETTER WHEN:

▪ Requested by the employer as part of the application

▪ Responding to a job posting via email

▪ Contacting a referral from a friend or acquaintance

A COVER LETTER SHOULD BE:

▪ Formal, polished, concise and confident

▪ ONE page, grammatically correct, and free of typos

▪ Formatted similarly to your resume (font style / size, margins)

▪ Written in the active voice

▪ Varied in sentence structure – don’t begin all sentences with “I”

▪ Targeted to the needs of the company and requirements of the position

ADDRESS COVER LETTERS TO A SPECIFIC PERSON WHEN POSSIBLE:

▪ Investigate the company website and other online resources for contacts and addresses

▪ Call the company and request the name of the person responsible for hiring interns / college graduates in your area

▪ If all efforts fail, use a proper salutation such as “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Campus Recruiting Team”

▪ An effective cover letter is well-rounded; it highlights the hard skills and soft skills relevant to the position, and is supported by a variety of experiences (academic, professional, extracurricular)

▪ A good cover letter is not simply a repetition of the wording on your resume

FIRST PARAGRAPH: WHY THEM?

▪ State WHY you are writing o Responding to an advertised opening o Following up on a referral o Inquiring about a possible opening

▪ State WHO you are o Year at Bentley University and major / minor

▪ State WHY you are applying to, or are interested in, this employer / position o Find something about the company that speaks to you, but not something generic…do your research!

SECOND & THIRD PARAGRAPHS: WHY YOU?

▪ State the qualifications you bring to the position

▪ Highlight experiences, activities and academic achievements that directly relate to the qualifications the employer is seeking

▪ Offer specific examples to demonstrate that you have the key skills required to succeed in the position – i.e., leadership, communication, analytical skills, etc.

▪ Close with a summary sentence of your qualifications and a confident statement that you can make a contribution to the organization

▪ May reference your enclosed or attached resume

▪ State what you want – an interview or opportunity to further discuss your qualifications and potential opportunities

▪ Let the employer know how to reach you

▪ Thank the person and indicate that you look forward to speaking to or meeting with them