WRITING A COVER LETTER Career Education – Harrison Center

Introduction  The Cover Letter, or letter of interest, is a letter of application to a specific place of employment.  Cover letters are designed to:  Briefly state the position applying for  Give a summary of qualifications and skills. The cover letter must not be redundant of the Resume.  Express interest and knowledge of the company applying to.  Request an interview and provide contact information.

Writing a Cover Letter  Cover letters are 1 page in length and contain 3-4 brief paragraphs.  Cover letters must always be typed and never handwritten.  Information must be concise and specific. Stick to the main ideas and points you are trying to make.  Don’t ramble or get off track.

The Headings  The first heading on the cover letter includes the information of the person writing the cover letter.  Full Name  Street Address  City, State, Zip Code  Phone Number  Address This information should all be aligned so that the first character of each line is aligned in a straight line.

The Headings, cont.  The second includes the information of the person who the cover letter is being written to.  Person’s Name  Job Title  Place of Employment  Street Address  City, State, Zip Code  The Date of the letter should split the two headings and be aligned either below and with the first heading or above and with the second heading.

The Headings Example

The Greeting  The greeting should be typed in line with the second heading and two spaces below this heading.  It should read, “Dear Mr.” or Dear Ms.” followed by a colon ( : ).  Do not include the person’s first name in the greeting.  In a generic greeting using, “Dear Hiring Manager:” is a good choice.

Opening Paragraph  In the first paragraph, immediately and concisely state which position you are applying for.  Next, state how you learned of the position (e.g., from an ad, a sign at the store, a person, etc.).  You may also include a sentence leading to why you would be a good candidate.

Opening ParagraphExample

Second Paragraph  In this paragraph, explain what you feel you could contribute to the company.  Relate how your skills and qualifications will directly benefit the company if the were to hire you.  Show how your skills and qualifications relate to the specific job duties and responsibilities in which the position entails.

Second Paragraph Example

Third Paragraph  Describe your interest in the company. Employers like to see that you have taken time to research their company and are familiar with them.  This is where you can relate your skills and qualifications to their company and what they do.  It is also a place to highlight anything not mentioned in the prior paragraphs that relates to the position and/or company

Third Paragraph Example

Closing Paragraph  In this paragraph, specifically request an interview to further discuss your skills, qualifications, and interest in the position and company.  Make sure to include your contact number along with the best times of day to contact you.  Remember to thank them for taking time to review your information.

Closing Paragraph Example

The Closing  The closing should be two lines below the last paragraph.  It should be aligned with the first heading (your personal heading) at the top of the letter.  First, write, “Sincerely,”  Next leave two spaces  Finally, Type your full name, aligned with “Sincerely,”  The space in between “Sincerely” and “Your Name” is where you will hand sign the letter.

Closing Example