Effective Cover Letters

PET 489 Student Teaching SeminarCollege of Physical Activity & Sport SciencesFall Semester 2011

Lesson Purpose To introduce you to the basic

mechanics of writing an effective cover letter

To get you started on preparing a cover letter for your mock job interview assignment

Lesson Advance Organizer What questions do we need to answer

today about writing an effective cover letter?

What is the purpose of the cover letter? Purpose of the cover letter

Introduce yourself to employer Demonstrate interest in vacancy Draw attention to resume Motivate reader to interview you

Cover letter is often your first contact with an employer!!!

How should cover letters be organized? Introduction (Paragraph 1)

Capture reader’s attention and identify how you learned about the position

Body (Paragraphs 2 and 3) Include a brief description of your background and why you

are interested in working for that employer Demonstrate understanding of the position and highlight

how your qualifications relate to it Include specific examples when possible!!!

Closing (Paragraph 4) Describe your follow-up plans for the employer Establish flow of communication that leads to an interview

Signature Line

General guidelines for effective letter writing? Use an accepted

business letter format

Personalize each letter

Use non-sexist language

Avoid overusing the word “I”

Limit your letter to one page

Vary your writing

Use attention getting action verbs and adjectives

Proofread!!!

How can I best describe my qualifications? Phrases from performance appraisals, and

letters of recommendation

Current and past job descriptions and standards of performance that clearly reflect job expectations and responsibilities

Desirable characteristics and requested skills for similar jobs

Newspaper editorials and business sections to help write paragraphs about your industry, occupation, or the economy

Other suggestions? Attend cover letter writing workshop

Visit Career Services for help with your cover letter

Match paper and font with presentation resume

Indicate additional enclosures with resume packet

Retain a copy of each cover letter in a file

Develop 2-3 paragraphs that work and modify them slightly to personalize each letter

Remember to sign all of your cover letters!!!

What about follow-up? Follow-up of your application is essential

Consider preparing a script for your follow-up call Call between T and TH early in morning or late

afternoon Leave a message on voicemail – let them

know that you would like a return call and state where you can be reached

Be persistent – call back within a week if you don’t

Mock Job Interview: Cover Letter You cover letter is due

during the last week of seminar

Needs to be rated as “Satisfactory” Rating of 3 out of 5

point Likert scale

Evaluation criteria Layout/appearance Order of elements Written content Overall impression

Take-home Messages The cover letter is an important

extension of your resume

In many instances it represents your first contact with an employer

Use the structure discussed in class to communicate key information