5 W AYS Y OUR C OVER L ETTER L OST Y OU T HE J OB

1. Y OU D IDN ’ T L ISTEN TO Y OUR C AREER C OUNSELOR for example: You address the cover letter “Dear Sir” when the hiring manager is a woman, you fill three entire pages with your every achievement since kindergarten, or you forget to proofread and let the opening line read: “I absolutely love you’re company!”—it’ll go straight into the trash can.

2. Y OU R EGURGITATED Y OUR R ESUME Your cover letter is meant to complement your resume—not reiterate it. So, it won’t do you much good if you simply take the best bullet points from your resume and repeat them in your cover letter. If your cover letter and resume are replicas of each other, why submit two documents in the first place?

3. Y OU U SED A C ANNED V ERSION You may not love the idea of composing a unique cover letter for each job you apply to, but it’s worth it. When a recruiter reads, “Dear Hiring Manager, I am so excited to apply for the open position at your company, where I hope to utilize my skills to progress in my career,”

4. Y OU H IGHLIGHTED Y OUR W EAKNESSES If you don’t meet the basic requirements of the job, your resume will clearly indicate that—so you don’t need to begin your letter by stating “I know I don’t actually have any coding experience or know much about computers, but…” That simply shines light on the fact that you’re not qualified.

5. Y OU F OCUSED ON W HAT THE C OMPANY C AN D O FOR Y OU When you apply to a job you’re really excited about, it’s natural to want to convey your enthusiasm to the company: “I’ve wanted to work for your company since I was little—this would be my dream job, and it would mean so much to me if you would grant me an interview!” But when a hiring manager reads a cover letter, she wants to see what a potential employee would do for her company—not what the job would do for you.

P ARTS TO A C OVER L ETTER

P ART 1 The first section of a written or uploaded cover letter should include your contact information: Your Name Your Address Your City, State, Postal Code Your Phone Number Your Cell Phone Number Your Address Miss. Gaugler Box 63 Hotchkiss, AB, T0H2B ca Contact InformationExample

P ART 2 Employer Contact Information If you have contact information for the employer, list it below your contact information. If not, leave this section off your cover letter. P ART 3 Cover Letter Salutation It's important to include an appropriate salutation at the beginning of the cover letter or message. If you have a contact person for your letter, be sure to include their name in your letter. Review examples of cover letter salutations.

P ART 4 Body of Cover Letter The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up. This section of your cover letter should include: First Paragraph - Why you are writing Middle Paragraphs - What you have to offer the employer (be specific) Final Paragraph - How you will follow-up

E XAMPLE C OVER L ETTER Jennelle Fox Box 999 Edmonton AB T6C 0W March 25, 2013 Asher School Division Blair Johnson Human Resources Street, Edmonton AB Dear Mr. Johnson, I am very excited at the prospect of teaching in the Asher School Division. Immediately after high school, I was accepted into the University of Alberta to pursue a degree in Secondary Education with a minor in Language and Literacy. It has always been my intent to return to Edmonton to build both a career and a life. The positive experiences that I have had while volunteering and doing my practicum at St. Joseph’s School have inspired me to teach in this school division. My passion as a teacher lies in the Language Arts subjects. I am very excited to get into the classroom to transfer the knowledge and experience that I have gained to my students so that they can develop a passion for the subject that parallels my own. I have experience planning lessons, conducting reading and writing conferences, and doing miscue analysis. I am comfortable implementing programs such as the Daily Five and Traits of Writing. In addition to teaching language arts, I am confident in my ability to effectively teach other subject areas. I look forward to gaining valuable insight from fellow teaching staff and increasing my pedagogical knowledge as to better reach my students. My goal as an educator is to ensure that my students have an opportunity to achieve success and that they develop a thirst and motivation to increase their existing knowledge in all subject areas. Thank-you for your time and consideration, I look forward to future communication with you. Regards, Jennelle Fox