BUILDING A COVER LETTER

The purpose of your résumé is to excite an employer enough to call you for an interview. The purpose of the cover letter is to get an employer to read your résumé, a copy of which accompanies your letter. Here are some simple rules to keep in mind:

• Your goal is to give the reader enough information to interest them, but not so much that they’re overwhelmed.
• It is always best to address your letter to a person, so always research the company you are applying to and find out the name of an individual to address. Usually, the best person to contact is the head of the department where you wish to work.
• A good rule of thumb for deciding if you should answer a classified ad is to ask yourself if you have 80 percent of the skills or background that the ad says the job requires.
• When writing to someone to whom you’ve been referred, state in the first paragraph of the letter the person who referred you.

Include your address and phone number.

Include the date.

Include your name, title and address of the person to whom you are writing.

PARAGRAPH 1

Tell your contact what you want and how you know about the organization.

PARAGRAPH 2

Give a concise overview of your work history and the skills you have that will help you perform the job.

PARAGRAPH 3

State your confidence in your abilities and give information on how you can be contacted.

CLOSE

Express appreciation. Beneath your signature, type your name. Alert your reader to the fact that another document - your résumé - accompanies your letter.