WRITING SKILLS Zanete Garanti Lecturer University of Mediterranean Karpasia

About the teacher Zanete Garanti   Office: AKUN main building, room 202  Telephone: /8 (113)  Mobile phone:

4. Developing your cover letter  Importance of the cover letter,  Different layouts and concepts,  Practice.

What is a Cover Letter? A Cover Letter is a more-detailed version of your CV describing why you are the right candidate for a specific position.

When Do I Need a Cover Letter?  When an employer or job description requires it.  Always carry multiple copies of both your CV and cover letter when interviewing.  Even if an employer does not ask for a cover letter, you should still send it/hand it in along with your CV. It shows you are willing to go above and beyond what is needed of you.

Cover Letter Format  Note: Your Cover Letter heading should be the same as your CV heading (this makes it easier for employers to keep track of both documents).  Heading Details: At the top of your cover letter document should be your Resume heading, then employer/hiring manager contact information (Name, title, company name, address), then Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name: (Make sure to call the company/organization to get the employers name) and the current date.  First Paragraph: Should include the position of interest to you, how you found out about the position, who you are (major, year of college), and why you are interested in the specific position.  Second Paragraph: Should include 2-3 experiences related to the position you are writing about, skills learned, why these experiences make you a great candidate, and your enthusiasm for the position.  Third Paragraph/Conclusion: Lastly, you should mention that your resume is enclosed, express interest in discussing the position further, and thank them for their time and consideration.  Signature: Close with Sincerely, Thank you, etc. If you are able to you should sign your name manually, but if sent electronically you should sign with a cursive font, and always print/type your name under each signature.

Heading Your Resume Heading Mr. John Smith President Oregon Department of Revenue Human Resources Room Center Street NE Salem, OR September 19, 2013 Dear Mr. Smith:

Body: 1 st Paragraph I would like to express my interest in the Oregon Department of Revenue’s open position calling for a Timber Auditor/Appraiser 3. I learned of this position by navigating the oregonjobs.org website. Presently, I am a senior at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. I will be graduating in May with a Bachelor’s of Science in Natural Resources Management and expect to have earned a GPA of at least I have tailored my degree toward forestry, and feel that my education and professional goals make me an excellent match for this position.

Body: 2 nd Paragraph My education at SUNY-ESF has focused heavily on the management of forested ecosystems in both the theoretical and practical arenas. I have enjoyed classroom education in the area of silviculture, forest ecology, dendrology, mensuration, soils, hydrology, recreation management, policy, and economics, as well as considerable background coursework. I have also had the opportunity of engaging in a summer term in practical forestry operations. This term included a five-week intensive course in field forestry which included navigation, mensuration, and dendrology. For the remainder of the summer, I worked as a Forest Property Assistant at SUNY-ESF’s Adirondack Ecological Center located in New York’s Central Adirondack region. My responsibilities there included a variety of tasks mostly dealing with forest inventory, which I became intimately familiar with. Between this experience and my educational background, I feel equipped to begin a career in forestry with your organization. I might add that it has been personal career goal of mine to move to Oregon, due to a consuming interest in your state’s unique and wonderful ecosystem diversity.

Body: 3 rd Paragraph/Conclusion I believe that my combination of abilities and enthusiasm provides an excellent match for this position, and would be honored to have the opportunity to show you my skills. I urge you to closely consider my application and enclosed resume. Feel free to contact me at I look forward to hearing from you regarding this position. Thank you for your consideration.

Signature Respectfully, Sign Your Name Print Your Name

EDIT  REMEMBER TO EDIT! EDIT! EDIT!  Have someone else read and reread all of your documents. This will help with catching grammatical and punctuation errors that can hurt your candidacy.

Sample Cover Letter

Tips & Tricks  Remember to tailor your Cover Letter for each position you plan to apply.  Use the job description language when describing your own qualifications and experiences (i.e. if a job description says “Should be resourceful & able to work in a fast-pace environment.” Your Cover Letter should somehow mention how you are resourceful and able to work in a fast-pace environment).  Have at least 2 other people read your Cover Letter. If both are able to understand your letter than most likely so will the employer.  Mark sure you align your whole letter to the left (indentations not needed).

Summary  Think of Cover Letters as detailed versions of your resume.  Every Cover Letter should be unique to each position you are applying to.  Make sure you include the 5 main sections: Heading, Paragraphs 1-3, and your Signature.  Edit your Cover Letter multiple times.

Going creative: Interesting introduction formula Start with an image that embodies their predicament Slide in where you saw the job Back it up with some proof Conclude with contact info

Going creative: Strong statement formula Pick two top skills to highlight Sneak the job title and where you saw it into the first sentence Refer to your resume for proof Conclude with contact information

Practical applications homework  Best sample cover letters: