Cover letters

A cover letter is a sales letter in which you market your skills, abilities, and knowledge. When writing an
cover letter with a resume, remember that you probably have competition. Your audience is a professional
who screens and hires job applicants—someone who may look through dozens or even hundreds of other
cover letters on the day she receives yours. The immediate objective of your cover letter and accompanying
resume is to attract this person's attention. Your ultimate goal is to obtain an interview.

As you write your cover letter, be sure you complete three tasks: catch the reader's attention favorably,
convince the reader that you are a qualified candidate for the job, and request an interview.
cover letter checklist:

 Identify the job by title and let the recipient know how you heard about it.
 Summarize your qualifications for the job, specifically your work experience, activities that show
your leadership skills, and your educational background.
 Refer the reader to your enclosed resume.
 Ask for an interview, stating where you can be reached and when you will be available. If your
prospective employer is located in another city and you plan to visit the area, mention the dates for
your trip.
 If you are applying for a specific job, include any information pertinent to the position that is not
included in your resume.

To save your reader time and to call attention to your strengths as a candidate, state your objective directly
at the beginning of the letter.
Example: I am seeking a position as a manager in your Data Center. In such a management position, I can
use my master's degree in information systems and my experience as a programmer/analyst to address
business challenges in data processing.
If you have been referred to a company by one of its employees, a career counselor, a professor, or
someone else, mention that before stating your job objective.

Example: During the recent ARRGH convention in Washington, D.C., one of your sales representatives,
Dusty Brown, informed me of a possible opening for a manager in your Data Center. My extensive
background in programming and my master's degree in information systems make me highly qualified for
the position.
In subsequent paragraphs, expand on the qualifications you mentioned in your opening. Add any
appropriate details, highlighting experience listed on your resume that is especially pertinent to the job you
are seeking. Close with a request for an interview. Proofread your letter carefully.
Two sample letters of cover letter are presented below. The first letter (Sample #1) is by a recent college
graduate responding to a local newspaper article about the company's plan to build a new computer center.
The writer is not applying for a specific job opening but describes the position he seeks. The second letter
(Sample #2) is from a college senior who does not specify where she learned of the opening because she is
uncertain whether a position is available.

Have a look at a couple of short cover letters below to get some ideas for
your cover letter:
 Cover Letter Sample #1

6123 Farrington Road

January 11, 2011

Taylor, Inc.
694 Rockstar Lane
Durham, NC 27708

Dear Ms. Charles,

I just read an article in the News and Observer about Taylor's new computer center just north of Durham. I
would like to apply for a position as an entry-level programmer at the center.

I understand that Taylor produces both in-house and customer documentation. My technical writing skills,
as described in the enclosed resume, are well suited to your company. I am a recent graduate of DeVry
Institute of Technology in Atlanta with an Associate's Degree in Computer Science. In addition to having
taken a broad range of courses, I served as a computer consultant at the college's computer center where I
helped train users to work with new systems.

I will be happy to meet with you at your convenience and discuss how my education and experience match
your needs. You can reach me at my home address, at (919) 233-1552, or at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Raymond Kussack

 
 Cover Letter Sample #2

6123 Farrington Road

January 11, 2011

Dear Ms. Jones,

I am seeking a position in your engineering department where I may use my training in computer sciences
to solve Taylor's engineering problems. I would like to be a part of the department that developed the
Internet Selection System but am unsure whether you have a current opening.

I expect to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University in
June and by that time will have completed the Computer Systems Engineering Program. Since September
2000, I have been participating, through the University, in the Professional Training Program at Computer
Systems International in Raleigh. In the program I was assigned to several staff sections as an apprentice.
Most recently, I have been a programmer trainee in the Engineering Department and have gained a great
deal of experience in computer cover letters. Details of the academic courses I have taken are included in
the enclosed resume.

If there is a position open at Taylor Inc., please let me know whom I should contact for further information.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. I may be reached at my office (919-866-4000 ext. 232) or via
email ([email protected]).

Sincerely,
Rebecca Brock