Why Do You Need a Cover Letter?
While your resume should speak for itself, your cover letter is a place to draw direct lines from your skills and experience to what is needed for the job and to show your enthusiasm for the particular job.
Before You Begin
Plan to write a new cover letter for each job opening. While you may reuse parts of cover letters, you make the best impression by tailoring your cover letter to the company and specific position.
Before you begin, make sure to have a copy of the job posting at the ready. Research the company to learn more about the work they do, what their mission is, what the company culture is like, etc., by visiting their website and social media, reading news articles, and talking to people who have done business with the company or worked there. If you're writing a cover letter for a class, use the assignment job posting (or search for a posting online if a sample posting isn't given).
Next, read Transferable Skills: 10 Skills That Work Across Industries.
How to Write a Cover Letter
Now that you have some ideas of what should be included, it's time to start outlining your cover letter. Think about the required skills and job duties from the posting and show how you meet those needs; while you'll only be able to focus on 2-3, often skills can be lumped into categories like those listed in the above handouts. Use this Targeting a Job Description Worksheet to help organize your thoughts.
In your writing, you'll also want to show that you're not just interested in a job, but the job with their company. You can do this by referencing something you have learned about their company that interests you or aligns with your goals.
Check out this Cover Letter Template for how to format your cover letter. There are many different styles of cover letters, and your middle paragraph(s) may be formatted as bullet points or in a two-column format if you prefer.
Here are some cover letter examples:
Need formatting help? Try our Cover Letter Fillable Template or Cover Letter Two Column Fillable Template.
When You're Done a Draft
First, proofread.
Then, go back and read the job posting again. Does your cover letter make you sound like a good candidate for the position? Does it convey your interest in the company and particular position? Would reorganizing your letter make it more effective?
Now proofread again.
Check out the CCV Cover Letter Rubric. An acceptable cover letter will score at least a 4 in each section. How does your cover letter score?
When you're ready, email us for a cover letter review! Don't forget to include the job posting!