Creating a Winning Cover Letter

So, you’ve written your resume and you need a way to show you should be seriously considered for this job. Writing an effective cover letter can help to connect you to employers on a personal level. Here are some guidelines that can help you make that connection.

General Guidelines
Your intention in writing a cover letter is to make a personal connection to the person you are writing to. To connect to the busy person looking at multiple job applicants, you need to present yourself and your skills as persuasively in as little time as possible. Your goal is to find the right balance between professionalism and enthusiasm.

Formatting Your Letter
A cover letter should not be overly long but should show your interest in working with the organization, highlight the qualifications that make you the right candidate, and Identify potential next steps moving forward. We recommend a standard, three-paragraph format that will address each of these areas – of course there are many variations, and you can be creative in your approach. But this letter format offers a good starting place.

Paragraph 1 – Showing Interest
First and foremost, you need to get a potential employer to notice you among the other applicants. The most effective way to do this is show that you are enthusiastic about working with them. Find something about the job, the company, or the person to whom you are writing that you can get excited about. Whenever possible make a personal connection, and remember that your enthusiasm will be infectious.

Paragraph 2 – Highlighting Qualifications
In the second paragraph, write a couple of sentences that describe your experience, and why that experience makes you the right person for this particular job. Be specific if possible, and refer to the skills you have that will enable you to do the job well. As with your resume, you should use action verbs to convey your ability to be successful in this endeavor.

Paragraph 3 – Identifying Next Steps
Once you’ve established that you are interested and qualified for the job, you need to give an idea of how you’ll be following up on this opportunity. If possible, you should take the initiative, by saying something like “I will give you a call on Monday the 21st to follow up.” If you don’t have enough information to be able to follow up with a specific person, give them detailed information on how to get in touch with you, including best days for an interview as well as your phone number and email address.

The related links below offer numerous examples of cover letters that you can use to build your personal style; as you review these, remember that this letter offers you the chance to differentiate yourself from the competition and show your enthusiasm and desire to work for this organization.

Susan Ireland’s Guide to Cover Letters
Career Lab: Cover Letters
Job Web: Sample Cover Letters