Office of Career Services
Cover Letter Tips
Cover letters are letters of application that supplement and accentuate information on the resume. They should be written with the reader's interest in mind. Direct particular attention toward specific skills and use concrete examples. Make sure you clearly stated why you are interested in the company, what you have to offer, and how you can contribute.
The Different types of Cover Letters:
The Different types of Cover Letters:
- Letter of Application
This letter is written in response to a specific job within an organization, which has been advertised or identified through networking.
- Letter of Inquiry
A letter of inquiry is sent to explore employment possibilities when you are interested in working for a particular organization but do not know if an opening exists. Target an employer's needs by researching the organization to obtain information about jobs for which you are qualified. Refer to the specific aspects of the organization's work that interest you (mission, culture, clients/students, etc). Include this information in a separate paragraph.
3. Salary Requirments
3. Salary Requirments
A letter of salary is a statement regarding the salary or the salary range that you would accept for the job. Unless specified by the hiring manager, you should default to using a range rather than stating a specific amount. You should only write a letter of salary if you have been requested to do so by the hiring manager. Between the time you receive the offer and you accept the job, you have the most negotiating power. As a result, if you are going to negotiate for a higher salary, you should do so right after you are offered the job. That being said, you need to determine the appropriate salary range for the job you seek.
4. Academic/Faculty Positions
An academic cover letter is a letter of application that supplements and accentuates information on the Curriculum Vitae (CV). Focus particular attention towards research, teaching, and advising experience. They should be written with the reader’s interest in mind and make sure you clearly stated why you are interested in the institution, what you have to offer, and how you can contribute.
COVER LETTER GUIDELINES
- Never send a resume without a cover letter (unless directed)
- It should be concise and no more than one page with three to four pages maximum.
- Use 12 point, Times New Roman Font (font can be 11 point except for corporate jobs)
- Use .8-1 point. (for corporate jobs, font must be 1 inch)
- Use the same identifying information format for resume and cover letter
- Address your cover letter to the recruiter/hiring manager. If you do not know the name of the appropriate individual, call the organization and request the proper contact person's name and title.
- Double check spelling of contact names and titles.
- Tell an employer why they will benefit from hiring you not what you are going to gain from them
- Use action verbs
- Use your own words; you do not want your cover letter to sound like it was copied from a book or the internet
- Let your letter reflect your professionalism, individuality and creativity
- Demonstrate your abilities with concrete examples.
- Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Spelling, typographical, and grammatical errors are unacceptable.
- Sign your letters in blue or black ink.
- How to send it
- As an Email, the cover letter should be the body of the email message and (attach your cover letter and resume as two separate MS Word or PDF attachments or follow employers directions).
- Standard mail, the cover letter should be printed on resume paper (match paper used for resume). Do not staple your resume to your cover letter
- Fax on standard paper (resume should follow)