Cover Letter Writing

A cover letter should accompany every resume. It explains why you are sending the resume and is an opportunity to explain to the hiring manager why they should consider you and why the attached resume will be of some interest to them. This is where you highlight and expand on your most relevant points in your resume. A good cover letter will: Give the reader a sense of the person behind the words Relate to the reader and make it easy for the employer to see how your qualifications meet the position. Provide some examples and specifics of your relevant experiences, skills or qualities. Show interest and enthusiasm about the position or/and organization. Be professional in tone and appearance. This means absolutely no mistakes, business form letter, and no slang or clich type words. Cover letter writing takes practice. Here are some tips to make it easier: Get the full job description or occupation profile so you know what skills, experiences or qualifications will be important to mention in your cover letter Research the organization or department so you can talk about how your values and interest match the organizations Know what you can and want to contribute your skills, qualities, and experiences. This is the pivotal aspect in the whole job search process. It is where you start your goal setting and it is information you will need to provide throughout the job application process (resumes, interviews, phone calls, etc.). Get support by getting your letter proof read for overall tone, content and spelling errors/typos. Check out the online tutorials on resumes, cover letters and interviews at careers.mcmaster.ca !

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Cover Letter Writing

Cover Letters via the Internet When submitting your application over the internet, a cover letter is still required. There are different ways the cover letter and accompanied resume can be sent and received. 1. Sent as an attachment (make sure this has been pre-approved or requested by the employer). The format and content of the cover letter and resume is the same as paper/fax version, however, make sure you know what software and what version to save the document in. If unsure, ask! If this is the format the employer requested, then most likely they will be printing out the cover letter and resume for review. Ensure that the document file name is professional, for example, jpatelresume.doc or jpatelletter.doc. The actual e-mail message will be short and to the point. Example: Dear., Please find attached my cover letter and resume for the ..position. I look forward to your response. Sincerely,. 2. Sent as part of the e-mail message. This is by far the safest way to ensure your information is received in good order. In this case, you need to save your cover letter and resume documents as a Plain Text file. Plain text documents are simplified, thus they can not handle bullets or fancy fonts styles. Courier font is recommended and use dashes ( -- ) or asterisks (*) in place of bullets. You will have to do away with bolds, underlines or any type of graphics. Once the documents are saved as plain text, then you can copy and paste them right in the message portion of your e-mail. Use a line of dashes ------------ to separate the cover letter from your resume. With this type of application, your cover letter will be slightly modified in content and format. Skip the full addressee contact info and go directly to the opening salutation (Dear Martha , ). 3. On-line application system. Companies are increasingly using online applications systems. When submitting your requested information, ensure you are pasting the information in plain text format. The email subject header will simply state the position title or reference number. As a double check, send, via the internet, your application to a friend, yourself or a counsellor to ensure the information is being received in good order.

____________________________________________________________________________________ career services mcmaster university gilmour hall 110 905.525.9140 x24254 careers.mcmaster.ca

Cover Letter Writing

The Format of a Cover Letter Your Contact Info (Can use the same format as on your resume) Current Date Full Name of Person in Hiring Position (Make sure spelling is correct) Position of the person Company name Address Postal Code Dear Ms., Mr. or use full name, The first paragraph usually addresses: what position you are applying for, how you became aware of the position, why you are interested in the position or organization. You can integrate some of your key qualifications as an opener and to grab the readers attention. The middle paragraphs usually addresses: how your experience (work, academic, other), skills, and interests relate to the position, how your values/goals fit with the organization. It helps to provide some examples or use specifics to peak the readers attention. You can provide the information in bullet form or in full sentences to make it easy for the reader to see how you are a good match for their needs Can talk about how many years experience you have Can talk about some specific experiences that relate to the job Can talk about some characteristics that make you a good employee and provide some evidence of such (ie. Awards, feedback from supervisors or clients) In the closing paragraph you can: briefly re-iterate your interest or good fit. Explain how and when you can be contacted and when you will follow up with them. Finish the letter with some pleasantries such as: I look forward to meeting with you or thank you for considering my application. Sincerely, Full Name Enclosure(s)

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Cover Letter Writing

Michelle McMaster 100 Main Street, Apt. 408 Hamilton, Ontario, L1Y 4B8 (905) 888-5555 mmcmaster@mcmaster.ca ______________________________________________________________________
May 21, 2007 Ms. Farah Sodhi Managing Director Hamilton Artscape Inc. 555 James Street Hamilton, Ontario, L8Y 4B8 Dear Ms. Sodhi, As an Art History student with strong customer service and organizational skills, I am confident that I can meet your needs as the Summer Administrative Assistant. My career interest in combining my love of the arts with practical management skills also demonstrates a strong match with Artscapes goals of providing workspace for artists and arts organizations. This past year, in my part-time position as Assistant at the Grimsby Art Gallery, I demonstrated strong organizational, marketing and clerical skills. Assisting the director with the development of four seasonal art exhibits, I prepared artist biographies, posters and press releases and took the lead in organizing the opening night receptions for the last three shows. Careful attention to detail was my forte and my knowledge of computer spreadsheets and databases assisted my successful completion of cataloguing and invoicing tasks. My sales associate role at Club Monaco and my extracurricular activities as Student Council Class Representative required strong communication and customer service skills. Through providing attentive and knowledgeable customer service and regularly exceeding monthly sales goals, I was recognized as Employee of the Month at Club Monaco. As Student Council Class Representative, I presented student concerns and then worked as part of the Council to try to solve problems. I am able to listen to the needs of the various groups and then generate effective solutions, a skill set I believe you are seeking in an Administrative Assistant. My strengths in organizing, customer service and marketing combined with my background in art history seem like an excellent match with the Administrative Assistant position. I would appreciate the opportunity to have a personal interview with you. Thank you. Sincerely, Michelle McMaster Encl.
\\Cpec_nt\USERS\PUBLIC\Employment and Career Counsellor Resources\Handouts 2007\Cover Letter Writing.doc March, 2007

____________________________________________________________________________________ career services mcmaster university gilmour hall 110 905.525.9140 x24254 careers.mcmaster.ca