Students: Career Planning: Cover Letters

A cover letter should accompany each resume that you send. The cover letter basically "introduces" your resume to the reader. In composing each cover letter be sure to:

Write to a specific person:

• Your cover letter should be targeted to a specific individual.
• Use the person's name and title.
• Make sure that the spelling is accurate.
• Names of individuals can often be found in various directories, or on the organization’s website.
• If you don't find the name in a directory, you can always call the company to ask for the name of the appropriate person.
• Cover letters should never carry the salutation "To whom it may concern"

Write Individual Letters:

• Avoid using pre-printed cover letters
• Each cover letter should be customized to the position and organization to which you are applying.

Include the following points in your letter:

• Explain why you are writing
• Indicate the position you are applying for and how you learned about it (i.e. Referral, Newspaper ad, etc.).
• Indicate why you are applying for the position.
• Describe your qualifications
• Tell what you can contribute to the organization.
• Refer the reader to information on your resume.
• State your follow-up action:
• Be proactive as opposed to reactive.
• State the action that you want: ask for an interview.
• Indicate the follow-up action you will take.

Each cover letter should be typed, and free of spelling and typing errors. Limit your cover letter to one page; it should not be a repetition of all of the information on your resume, but rather should highlight your skills and qualifications.

Sample cover letter

Related Links

JobStar Central-Cover letters