Cover Letter Clinic

1
Cover Letter Clinic

• Career Services
• Washington State University Vancouver
• 546-9155
• career_at_vancouver.wsu.edu

2
An Excellent Cover Letter Is

• Targeted and specific
• An answer to three basic questions
• Why am I excited about this position?
• Why am I a good fit for this position?
• What specific skills can I contribute?
• Short and easy to read
• An opportunity to address any questions raised by
  your resume
• Formatted well

3
Targeted and Specific

• Company Research is the key to a successful
  resume
• Your letter should reflect your interest
  specifically in the organization and position you
  are applying for
• Good sources are
• Position Description
• Company website
• People associated with the organization

4
Targeted and Specific

• What are the
• Goals or Mission of the Organization?
• Characteristics of business (clients, products,
  services, market segment)?
• The required skills for the position?
• Qualities and characteristics necessary to be
  successful in the position?
• Cover letters that illustrate this knowledge and
  a connection to this information will rise to the
  top of the pile!

5
Answer The Key Questions Before You Start Writing

• A good cover letter is built around two solid
  reasons why you as a candidate are a good fit for
  the position.
• You have researched organization's mission and
  the position description. To identify the two
  good reasons consider the following questions
• Why am I excited about this position/organization?
  
• Why am I a good fit for this position?
• What specific skills can I contribute?

6
Example Reasons

• Long term interest in international trade policy
• Experience creating marketing plans in class and
  as part of an internship
• The ability to identify and address customer
  needs
• Strong management and team building track record
• Ability to apply new concepts quickly

7
Short and Easy to Read

• Good cover letters are one page and share a
  similar skeleton. Here is what I recommend
• Paragraph one Name the position, mention a name
  if you were referred, and assert Reason 1 and
  Reason 2
• Paragraph two supporting Reason 1
• Paragraph three supporting Reason 2
• Paragraph four Restate assertion, create
  opportunity for future contact, provide contact
  information, and conclude

8
Paragraph One

• Opening Sentence Referral
• Nancy Jones of Green Associates Advertising,
  suggested I contact you regarding the possible
  public relations opening in your firm.
• Opening Sentence Declarative
• I am the "multi-talented teacher" you seek in
  your advertisement in today's Atlanta
  Constitution.
• A successful Credit Analyst at Bank of America
  will possess superior forecasting and analytical
  skills.
• Paragraph one Body
• Clearly state reasons one and two
• Identify the title of the position

9
Paragraphs Two and Three

• Offer supporting evidence for Reasons One and
  Two. These should offer specific and concrete
  information about your preparation
• Examples
• Reason Strong understanding of Public Relations
  tools and strategies
• Supporting data to include in the paragraph
• Wrote, formatted, and distributed promotional
  newsletter at internship
• Created press releases for OMSI as the Public
  Relations internship

10
Paragraph Four

• Restate reasons One and Two
• I would be honored to contribute my marketing
  experience and ability to connect with a wide
  range of clients to PH marketing
• Create opportunity for future contact
• I look forward to hearing from you
• I will contact you via email on October 13 to
  answer any questions you may have about my
  candidacy
• Provide contact information
• Even though your heading will include this
  information, include your phone number and email
  address in this last paragraph

11
Address Questions Raised by Your Resume

• You have a gap in your employment
• With a new career focus following years of full
  time parenting, I am pursuing my lifelong
  interest in public planning and policy
• You have switched careers
• The communication skills I gained in years of
  software sales combined with my aptitude for my
  current engineering coursework are predictors of
  my success at
• You have switched jobs frequently
• Our permanent relocation to the Vancouver area
  was prompted by my wifes retirement from the
  military

12
Address Questions Raised by Your Resume

• Your major is not an obvious match with the job
• The critical thinking and teamwork experience I
  have gained in the psychology program lend
  themselves well to account management
• You are currently living in a different area than
  the location of the position
• I will be returning to the Tacoma area after
  graduating with my Human Development degree in
  May, 2007

13
Format

• Your header should match the header at the top of
  your resume and reference sheets
• Your prospective employer's address (AKA inside
  address) includes the contact person's name and
  title, the name of the company, the street
  address, city, state, and zip code.
• NOTEnever guess the gender of the contact
  person's name. When in doubt, leave the Mr. or
  Ms. out.

14
Format

• Salutation
• Dear Mr. or Ms. is the standard salutation,
  followed by the person's last name and a colon
• Never address the letter to Dear Sir or To Whom
  It May Concern
• Call and find out the name of the specific person
  who is doing the hiring, the correct spelling of
  his or her name, and the appropriate title
• If you cannot get a name, use Hiring Manager or
  Hiring Committe

15
Format

• Your signature block
• The closing -- usually Sincerely --appears
  double-spaced below the body of your letter and
  is followed by a comma
• Your typed name, then, appears below that
• An enclosure reference
• An enclosure notation appears double-spaced below
  your signature block
• It includes the word "Enclosure" or "Enc."
  followed by the word "Resume and refers to any
  additional materials included as well

16
Format

• Margins should make your letter look balanced on
  the page
• A standard rule is to establish equal top and
  side margins, with a bottom margin that is a bit
  bigger -- ideally one-and-a-half times the size
  of the other margins

17
Format

• Spacing
• Header followed by four lines
• Inside Address (recipient) followed by one line
• Date followed by one line
• Salutation followed by one line
• Paragraphs 1-4 followed by one line
• Closing (sincerely) followed by four lines
• Typed name followed by two lines
• Enclosure notation (Enc.)

18
Resources

• Email Career_at_vancouver.wsu.edu
• VSSC, lower level
• 546-9155
• www.vancouver.wsu.edu/career