LibGuides: Careers: Cover Letters

Cover Letters: Your Personal Introduction to the Hiring Manager

It is meant to give high level information about your qualifications, but more importantly: it is your chance to showcase your PERSONALITY!

Show how who you are - makes you the best candidate for the position!

So what does that mean to you?

Don't use a "form letter" or copy paste someone else's cover letter
Research the company - and decide how you align with their stated mission, strategic vision, etc., then speak to that
Organize your thoughts, and use that organization to plan out your letter structure
Be yourself: articulate your thoughts in your own unique voice! Draw from your elevator pitch and the essence of who you are!
Tell your story! Rather than describe your skill/trait, tell a story that demonstrates how your effectively used that skill/trait

When to Send a Cover Letter

Best Practices to Stand Out!

Make It Match: Use the same font, margins, and look/feel formatting from your resume.

Keep It Brief and Direct: Limit the cover letter to one page.

Be Unique: Don't copy and paste a general letter. Research the company to identify their goals/mission and show how you align to those goals! What do you bring that will help them meet those goals? Also how do you fit into the company's culture? Avoid cliche' expressions such as "self starter" or "go getter".

Expand on Your Resume: Do not repeat what is in your resume, instead go deeper to show your depth of expertise and experience. Competently speak to current industry trends and issues.

Show Yourself: Put your personality into your cover letter! It's your chance to introduce who YOU are!

PROOFREAD!!! Take a second and third look. Have someone else review the letter. Make sure you meet all submission requirements (subject line, attachments, etc.).

Addressing Your Cover Letter

How to Say It with Impact!

Stay away from generic, low impact wording like "responsible for", "provide", etc. Use specific action verbs with high impact!

Resources for High Impact Action Verbs:

Access www.synonym.com to help identify stronger verbs.

The website www.indeed.com action verb information webpage is a valuable resource with sample action verbs categorized by job responsibility type.
The website www.themuse.com provides 185 action verbs, organized by job responsibilities for resume/cover letter use.

Additional Resources: Cover Letters

201 Killer Cover Letters Third Edition by Sandra Podesta; Andrea Paxton
Call Number: 650.142 Podesta
ISBN: 9780071831574
Publication Date: 2014-04-02
"For anyone applying for a job, networking, requesting a reference, or writing a thank-you letter, this new edition of the go-to guide addresses new developments in technology and communication and how they affect the cover letter writing process"
1,001 Phrases You Need to Get a Job by Nancy Schuman; Burton Jay Nadler
Call Number: 650.14 Schuman
ISBN: 9781440538872
Publication Date: 2012-05-18
Provides information for the job application process, providing key phrases for resumes, cover letters, and job interviews.
Knock 'em Dead Cover Letters by Martin Yate
Call Number: 650.14 Yate
ISBN: 9781440596186
Publication Date: 2016-11-04
In the newest edition of his classic cover letter guide, job search expert Martin Yate shows you how to dramatically increase your chance of landing an interview. The key, as Yate explains, is to use language drawn from the job posting itself, words that will send your application to the top of database searches.
What Color Is Your Parachute? Guide to Rethinking Resumes: Write A Winning Resume and Cover Letter and Land your Dream Job by Richard N. Bolles
Call Number: 650.14 Bolles
ISBN: 9781607746577
Publication Date: 2014-05-06
Resumes get an average of 8 seconds of attention before going in the trash-or the shortlist. For the first time, the father of the modern career development field, Richard Bolles, presents a resume guide with everything job-hunters and career-changers need to know about this all-powerful piece of paper.

3 Phrases to Delete From Your Cover Letter Now
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Cover letters should be succinct and focused on what you can offer a prospective employer. What you don't say in a cover letter can be as important as what you do. Here are some key things to avoid.
Selling Yourself in Your Cover Letter
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Your cover letter is a marketing document designed to sell a product—you—and a business document to give employers a glimpse of your personality.