Cover Letter
22 Before You Start Writing Your Cover Letter
Find a Specific Job Opening to Apply For
Rather than spending your time writing a generic cover letter that would work for any job, start by finding a job opening you would like to apply for. As we did before writing our resume, thoroughly read through the opening and take note keywords and phrases that reveal what the company is looking for. Adding these keywords and phrases to your cover letter will show the company that you are in tune with what they are looking for.
Activity: Locate a job posting
Find an opening you would like to apply for and highlight the keywords and phrases or use the same job posting you used for your resume and review the keywords and phrases.
Research the Company
As we did before writing our resume, start on the company’s website and learn all you can. Pay attention to the company’s mission statement, any clues about company culture, the tone of the website, and any pet projects or initiatives the company is currently involved in.
Next, check out the company on LinkedIn. What can you learn about them? Look at the profile pages of employees who work here. What do they have in common? Do they display certain company values?
Activity: Research the company
- What specifics about the company can you include in your cover letter?
- Examine the LinkedIn profiles of individuals who work for this company. Did you notice any commonalities among them?
Familiarize Yourself with Trends in the Industry
Displaying an understanding of the current trends in your industry will strengthen your cover letter. Discuss specific challenges the industry is currently facing, along with areas you are trained in and ready to address.
Activity: Cover Letter Preparation Worksheet
- Select one of your two job postings to use to create your cover letter.
- Company Name
- Job Title (include capitalization, number, etc.)
- Job ID Number
- Opening/Closing/Posting Date
- Date you printed the posting
- Where you found the opening
- List 5 specific reasons you want to work here. Review the website for ideas. Suggestions include: their products, history, performance, reputation, accomplishments, etc.
- List 3 essential requirements for this position.
- List 10 keywords/phrases from the job posting. Include skills, duties, personal traits, etc.
- Write the company’s mission statement.
- How do your goals/values align with the mission statement?
- List any current company projects or initiatives you found in your research. How do these align with your goals, interests, and experiences?
- List any local organizations the company is involved with. Describe the relationship. How do these relationships align with your values and interests?
- What are the current trends in your industry? How can you help this company address these trends? What does this company need? What specific education, training, and/or experience do you have?
Review Cover Letters
Before you write your own cover letter it is a good idea to get familiar with what cover letters look and sound like. You can find cover letters to review in the appendix of this book, and there are examples available on many job search websites or through a Google search. Spend time looking at cover letters specifically written for positions in your field.
There are several cover letters in this book for you to review. Keep in mind, that these are students’ best efforts. Each has parts of the letter that are outstanding, as well as areas for improvement.
Activity: Review Cover Letters
- Examine the cover letters in this book. Pay attention to the format of the letter. What do you notice?
- Now examine the specific language and word choices of the author. Which letters create a picture in the readers mind? Which letters resonate with you and why?
- In general, note what you like and areas you think could be improved for each letter.
- Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring employer. Which cover letters make you want to learn more about the applicant? Why?
- Conduct a Google search for cover letters used for jobs in your field. What do they include that is not included in letters where applicants are pursing employment in other fields? Are there specific skills and experiences applicants in your field chose to highlight?
- How can you incorporate the positive elements you observed in the letters into your own cover letter?