Resume Cover Letter Resources

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, the cover letter affords you an opportunity to present this information in a business letter format that is grammatically correct.

Generally, cover letters are no more than one-page in length and contain three or four short paragraphs that address four implied questions:

  1. How you learned about the job
  2. Why you are interested in the job
  3. How you are qualified for the job

  4. What steps you plan to take to be considered for the job

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.

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.

Paragraph #3: How you are qualified

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 you convince the employer your qualifications are a good match and that you are confident you can help the company achieve its’ goals.

Paragraph #4: What steps you plan to take to be considered

Cover Letters can be closed in either a passive or aggressive approach. If every employer took the time to respond to every cover letter they received, then a passive closing would suffice. However, employers often receive hundreds of applications, resumes and cover letters. 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 getting the point across without being too forward (assertive vs. aggressive. About ten days later, you should contact the employer to see if their decision process might be expedited by offering supplemental information. i.e. copy of transcripts, reference list, writing sample etc.)

 

 

Sample Cover Letter

August 1, 20XX

Ms. Jane Smith, Human Resources Manager
ABC Corporation
123 Road Drive
Melbourne, FL 329XX

Dear Ms. Smith:

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, 20XX. As a new graduate from Florida Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science 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 interested me since my career goal is to work in the automotive industry and ABC is the 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, offering me the opportunity to become familiar with your products. Your products performed very well and assisted us in placing second in the national competition. I am also interested in ABC Corporation’s training and mentoring programs for new engineers, as it 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, but also learned how to work with different types of people. One of 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