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Home > Student Resources > Cover
letter
Preparing
a Cover Letter
Table of Contents
Example 1: Full Block Format
Example 2: Modified Block Format
Read More About Cover Letters
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In
addition to a resume, a cover letter is another necessary part of a
formal application for a position and an introduction to your resume.
It is a special type of business letter that should be formatted in
the block or modified block format.
A
cover letter normally includes more personalized information directed
at a specific employer.
Just
as in a business letter, a cover letter should include:
» Your return address
» The current date
» The potential employer's address
» The salutation
» The body of the letter
» The complimentary close/signature
» Optional lines (for enclosures, such as the resume itself)
The first paragraph of the body of the letter should include information
about how you came to apply for this position. You should mention where
you saw the advertisement for the position or what interests you about
the particular job to which you are applying.
The main paragraph(s) of the body should contain the qualifications
that you have that are most appropriate to the position for which you
are applying. You may want to elaborate on some job experience or educational
training mentioned briefly in the resume. You may also want to include
any qualifications you have that uniquely prepare you for this particular
position. This part of the letter might also include examples that illustrate
superior work performance.
The final paragraph of the letter should contain information about how
and when you can be contacted to arrange for an interview. Be sure to
include what times you will be home to answer the telephone. If you
have an answering machine, then you can say that you can be reached
"any time."
If you are having trouble composing your cover letter, there are many
books that can help you write one. Most libraries and bookstores have
a number of books that can be of assistance.
In a block format letter, all parts of the letter are placed directly
against the left margin. There is no indentation for the different paragraphs
of the letter and a line is skipped between each paragraph. The left
and right margins of the letter should be set at one inch.
In a modified block format letter, each paragraph is indented five spaces.
Your return address, the date, and the complimentary close should be
indented slightly to the right of the center of the page. A line is
skipped between each paragraph and the left and right margins of the
letter should be set at one inch.
Final points about a cover letter:
•It should be written with the same care as the resume (no typos,
misspellings, etc.)
•It should be one page.
•The paper should match that of your resume.
•You should sign the letter in ink between the complimentary closing
and your typed name.
•It should be placed over your resume and folded in thirds inside
the envelope.
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Full
Block Format
123 Elm Street
Providence, RI 02903
January
5, 2001
Mr. Steven
Jones
Electronic Repair Center
2000 Smith Street
Providence, RI 02908
Dear Mr.
Jones:
The position
of Senior Electronic Technician listed in the Providence Journal
of December 28, 2000 interests me. Over the past five years, I have
worked in a variety of different electronics positions which have
provided me with a broad base of skills that seem appropriate to this
position.
My current
position requires that I have frequent contact with customers concerning
the equipment that they have at their facilities. On-site troubleshooting
of equipment problems is one of my responsibilities. To date, I have
the best service record within the company, requiring the fewest call-backs
for equipment previously repaired.
In addition
to my work as a service representative, I am currently working on
a complete procedure manual for on-site troubleshooting of the IBM
PDP11-44. Once complete, this manual will serve as a model for other
manuals for other types of equipment that my present company services.
This position
impresses me as a challenging and interesting opportunity to fully
utilize the skills that I have developed in my years of electronics
work. If you feel that my experience qualifies me for the position
of Senior Electronics Technician, I would be pleased to meet with
you to elaborate further upon the information included in my resume.
You may contact me after 5 p.m. on week nights and any time on the
weekend at (401) 555-9999.
Sincerely,
Peter
M. Randall
Peter M. Randall
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| |
123
Elm Street
Providence, RI 02903
January
5, 2001 |
Mr. Steven
Jones
Electronic Repair Center
2000 Smith Street
Providence, RI 02908
Dear Mr.
Jones:
The
position of Senior Electronic Technician listed in the Providence
Journal of December 28, 2000 interests me. Over the past five years,
I have worked in a variety of different electronics positions which
have provided me with a broad base of skills that seem appropriate
to this position.
My
current position requires that I have frequent contact with customers
concerning the equipment that they have at their facilities. On-site
troubleshooting of equipment problems is one of my responsibilities.
To date, I have the best service record within the company, requiring
the fewest callbacks for equipment previously repaired.
In
addition to my work as a service representative, I am currently
working on a complete procedure manual for on-site troubleshooting
of the IBM PDP11-44. Once complete, this manual will serve as a
model for other manuals for other types of equipment that my present
company services.
This
position impresses me as a challenging and interesting opportunity
to fully utilize the skills that I have developed in my years of
electronics work. If you feel that my experience qualifies me for
the position of Senior Electronics Technician, I would be pleased
to meet with you to elaborate further upon the information included
in my resume. You may contact me after 5 p.m. on week nights and
any time on the weekend at (401) 555-9999.
| |
Sincerely,
Peter
M. Randall
Peter M. Randall |
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Read
more about Cover Letters
The
Library has a wide variety of books available to help you write and
format your cover letter. The following is a sample of some of the books
available in the Career Planning section of the Library. Other books
are also available in the Reference Room.
Career
Planning HF5382.7 .K693 1997
Krannich, R. L. & Krannich, C. R. (1997). Dynamite cover letters.
(3rd. ed.). Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications.
This
book provides examples of different types of letters used to obtain
a job. In addition to cover letters, it includes approach letters, follow-up
letters, thank you letters, and resume letters. The authors provide
details on how to construct an effective letter, list common mistakes,
discuss presentation (paper, type style, etc.), and suggest distribution
techniques. The final chapter covers the use of fax and E-mail for electronic
job searches.
Career
Planning HF5383 .B325 1989
Beatty, R. H. (1992). 175 high-impact cover letters. New York:
Wiley.
This
title provides 175 different examples of cover letters for 28 different
occupations which include experience levels from trainee to senior level.
Letters include different treatments for format, font, and return addresses
(standard letter and stationery style). In one section, letters are
paired with the job advertisements for which they were written.
Career
Planning HF5383 .B325 1989
---. (1989). The perfect cover letter. New York: Wiley.
This
guide provides basic information on cover letter design and formatting.
In order to illustrate how to tailor letters to a specific job opening,
Beatty provides the text of advertisements and letters written as a
response. He also provides examples of well-written and poorly-written
cover letters to illustrate what to do and what not to do.
Career
Planning HF5383 .H278 1998
Hansen, K. (1998). Dynamic cover letters for new graduates. Berkeley,
CA: Ten Speed Press.
Hansen's
book covers all of the basics of cover letters with tips on tailoring
them for new college graduates. The first part of the book includes
how to avoid common mistakes, how to get the employer's attention by
emphasizing what makes you different from other applicants, and how
to prepare a scannable cover letter with appropriate keywords. Part
Two covers "Making the Most of Your College Experience" with
tips on how to describe your college experiences in a way that will
interest an employer. Parts Three and Five provide sample letters for
specific situations and types of positions. Part Four gives tips on
Internet job searching.
Career
Planning HF5383 .R93 1997
Ryan, R. (1997). Winning cover letters. New York: John Wiley
and Sons.
Along
with a variety of sample cover letters, Ryan provides 42 mistakes to
avoid when preparing a cover letter. Many of the sample letters include
a job ad, resume, advice on what to include in the cover letter, and
an analysis of the sample. Step-by-step worksheets with lists of suggested
terms to use are also included.
Career
Planning HF5383 .Y378 1995
Yate, M. (1995). Cover letters that knock 'em dead. (Revised
and expanded). Holbrook, MA: Adams Media.
Yate
provides start-to-finish information on cover letters defining what
they are, different types of letters, and how to write, format, and
type a cover letter. The book includes tips on writing style, suggested
phrases, typing/word processing, layout, fonts, and paper. Numerous
examples are provided.
In
addition to the books listed above, there are numerous other books on
writing cover letters and resumes as well as on interview techniques
in the Career Planning section of the Library. Please browse
the Library's shelves to find a book that suits you.
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