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The cover
letter is used most often to introduce résumés
forwarded in response to employment classified ads or other
posted job listings (including those on the Internet).
Whereas the
résumé is an abbreviated listing of information
focusing primarily on your college career (including academics,
extracurricular and volunteer experiences, and employment experiences),
the cover letter affords you an opportunity to present this information
in a business letter format that is grammatically correct. Remember
how much importance employers place on communication skills.
Generally,
cover letters are no more than one-page in length and contain
three or four short paragraphs that address four implied questions:
how you learned about the job, why you are interested, how you
are qualified, and what steps you plan to take to be considered.
Depending on the amount of information you are presenting, paragraphs
#2 and #3 can either be combined or separated – it is a
judgment call on your part based primarily on how much information
you convey. Focusing on each of these paragraphs, here are some
important points to remember.
Paragraph
#1: How you learned about the job?
Identifying your source of information about the job is, for the most part,
a rather simple and conventional way to begin the dialogue. For employers,
it clarifies the intent of your letter as well as gives them some sense of
the effectiveness of the various methods they use to advertise employment listings.
For you, it affords you the opportunity to specify the job or corporate division
or geographic location in which you are most interested. And, if you happen
to have been referred and/or encouraged to apply by some influential person
in your employment network, identifying the individual by name in this initial
paragraph may be beneficial (e.g., your cover letter and résumé may
be routed more expeditiously through the review process).
Paragraph
#2: Why you are interested?
There are likely many reasons you are interested enough to take the time to
write a cover letter to attach to your résumé. For the most part,
employers are interested in hearing you address the reasons you are motivated – why
this company, why this particular job, why this location, why at this time
in your life do you believe you are ready to pursue this opportunity. Remember,
among the Top 10 Personal Characteristics Employers Seek In Job Candidates,
motivation/initiative was ranked 3rd.
Paragraph
#3: How you are qualified?
Arguably the most important paragraph in your cover letter, this is your opportunity
to relate your qualifications – your academic training, your work experiences,
and your extracurricular experiences – to the various skills the employer
has outlined in the position description. Using the information listed on your
résumé as a reference point, you set about to convince the employer
your qualifications are not only a good match, but that you are confident you
can help the company achieve its organizational goals.
There is truly an art to cover letter writing – a subtle way of conveying
information about you, but in ways that address the employers’ needs.
Paragraph
#4: What steps you plan to take to be considered?
Much has been written about how to close a cover letter, and many of the examples
seem to suggest either passive or aggressive closings. If every employer took
the time to respond to every cover letter they received, then a passive closing
would suffice. However, employers are often inundated with responses to position
listings and often lack the time or resources to respond to everyone. As a
way of maintaining control, a closing such as “Thank you for your consideration
of my credentials. I will contact your office in the next ten days to see if
you require any additional information regarding my qualifications is considered
assertive but not aggressive. About ten days later, you contact the employer
to see if their decision process might be expedited by your completing a company
application form, or by forwarding a copy of your transcripts, a list of your
references, a writing sample, etc. By making this call and offering supplemental
information, you are demonstrating sound, professional business skills
SAMPLE
COVER LETTER
August
1, 2001
Ms. Sally
White, Human Resources Manager
ABC Corporation
123 5th Ave. N.
Melbourne, FL 32901
Dear Ms.
White:
I am writing
to apply for the position of Mechanical Engineer that was advertised
in the Career Services Office at the Florida Institute of Technology
on July 29, 2001. As a new graduate from Florida Institute of
Technology with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, I feel
my education, experience, and skills make me an excellent candidate
for this position. My résumé is enclosed for your
review.
The position
advertised is of great interest to me because my career goal
is to work in the automotive industry and ABC is a leader in
the research and development of automotive parts. My senior design
team used power train parts from ABC in the design for our entry
in the Formula SAE competition so I am very familiar with your
products. Your products performed very well and helped us to
a second place finish in the national competition. I am also
interested in ABC Corporation because I have heard that your
training and mentoring programs for new engineers is second to
none.
In addition
to my senior design project, I also have two semesters of co-op
experience working as a manufacturing engineer with XYZ Corporation
in their aluminum extrusion plant. This added another dimension
to my experience in the automotive field. My experience with
XYZ not only taught me about the manufacturing process and gave
me experience in many important computer-aided design tools,
I also learned how to work different types of people. One my
main duties was to take new designs to the floor and work with
technicians and assemblers in testing them and listening to their
feedback to make improvements. I feel this experience greatly
improved my communication and interpersonal skills.
I look forward to talking with you in more detail regarding my interest in
working for your company. If I do not hear from you beforehand, I will contact
you by telephone in the next two weeks to see if you require any additional
information regarding my qualifications. Thank you, in advance, for your consideration
of my credentials.
Sincerely,
John Smith
Encl.
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