SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 2007/2008 COVER LETTERS The purpose of a cover letter is to answer the big question in the Manager�s mind: �Why should I interview this person?� This document is your chance to market yourself as the best person for the position offered. It is equally important to the resume. An effective cover letter can help you get an interview, while a poor one will cause your resume to be ignored. However, be careful not to repeat information from the resume. Your job is to introduce yourself, your selling points, and the resume. While the resume presents your experiences and skills, the cover letter is pointing out the type of position you want and how qualified you happen to be. You need to highlight the portions of your experiential background that would interest the employer, your skills and talents. The cover letter can also explain gaps in your education or employment history or explain the reasons behind your changing career focus! Plan on the three paragraph approach: OPENING PARAGRAPH * Explain the reason for the letter and/or identify the position you are seeking. * Mention how you learned of the position (newspaper, Career Services Office, name of contact, Internet website�..). MIDDLE PARAGRAPH * Demonstrate your knowledge and interest in the organization. * State the skills you can bring to the position that would meet the requirements of the job. * Refer the reader to the resume for details, but do not repeat this information. CLOSING PARAGRAPH * End with an action statement � make a request for a personal interview. * State clearly how you wish to be reached (phone number, etc.). Tell the employer if you plan to follow up with a phone call or if you want the employer to contact you. Clarify when and where you may be reached and end with an expression of enthusiasm or thanks. COVER LETTER FORMAT Remember that there is no one official format for the cover letter, but there are some guidelines to follow: * Use bullets, indent, or bold face to emphasize and organize information. * Every cover letter is an original letter aimed at one specific position and/or corporation. Avoid re-using letters from other applications. * Address the letter to a specific person (phone the company to ask for a name!). Spell names and title correctly. * Write the letter in standard business format. Left-justified form is most commonly used today. Make sure the entire letter is framed evenly on the page. From top to bottom it must appear balanced. * Include your contact information (name, address, phone number). SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 2007/2008 * Vary sentence structure to create interest, and avoid beginning too many sentences with �I.� * Keep the letter to one page. * Proofread. Then have someone else proofread! * Use the same bond paper and laser-quality print as your resume. * Personally sign each letter. * Remember to follow-up every letter and resume you send. GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A COVER LETTER (Include your contact information as it appears on your resume!) ________________________________James A. Roy___________________________ 17 Prospect Street (845) 531-9005 Pine Bush, NY 12566 jroy@aol.com (2 spaces under your address) July 25, 2007 (2 spaces under the date) Mark Hansen Director of Human Resources ABC Corporation 999 Dunderberg Avenue New York, NY 10005 (2 spaces) Dear Mr. Hansen: (2 spaces) FIRST PARAGRAPH: State the reason for writing, the name of the position or the kind of work you are seeking, and mention where you heard about the opening. (2 spaces) SECOND/THIRD PARAGRAPH: This is where you state your reasons for being interested in the position or company and mention that you have the qualifications. You can briefly review your past experience, education, and volunteer work (as appropriate) to show your abilities required to do the job. DO NOT restate information from the resume, but refer the reader to sections of the resume, instead. (2 spaces) THIRD PARAGRAPH: State what you want to happen next. Mention your interest in meeting with the employer and indicate clearly how he/she is to contact you. You may also plan to follow-up first to ensure that your letter/resume have been received. Thank the employer in advance for his/her consideration of you. (2 spaces ) Sincerely, Your Signature (4 spaces) Your Typed Name Here (2 spaces) Enclosure (This indicates your enclosed resume) SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 2007/2008 SAMPLE COVER LETTERS #1 � Letter in response to classified ad Date Name Director of Marketing New England College Box AG Henniker, New Hampshire 25802 Dear Mr./Ms X: I noted with great interest your advertisement in the New Hampshire Union Leader for an Assistant Director of Marketing Recruitment. I understand your need for a person with excellent verbal and communication skills and I believe that my background as president of a national management collegiate chapter may be of great value to you. Overseeing the 400 members of this chapter strengthened my knowledge and appreciation of working with students from across the country. Additionally, I have two years� experience as a sales associate for a local clothing store where our compensation was based on soliciting, continuously following-up, and closing sales. I feel my experience and Bachelors degree in marketing make me a unique candidate for this position. As requested, a copy of my resume and references are enclosed. I look forward to an opportunity to discuss my credentials in a personal interview. I will call on April 27 to arrange a time to meet and discuss the position. Sincerely, John Q. Public John Q. Public Enclosures _____________________________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: Job Search Tactics by Kathleen M. Lordan. Pages 52-53. Charleston, West Virginia: Cambridge Educational. 1995 SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 2007/2008 #2- Letter in response to classified ad JUAN ORTEGA 1124 Bakery Avenue Bakersville, NC 90000 ______________________________(555) 998-0090______________________________ April 18, 2000 Teresa Micelli Box 7344 Sunday Times 1123 N. Center Street Bakersville, NC 11233 Dear Ms. Micelli: I read with great interest your ad for Administrative Assistant which appeared in the Sunday Times, July 14th. I am very enthusiastic because my background matches the qualifications you are seeking. As you will note from my enclosed resume, I have more than five years experience in the field. I began as a secretary and worked my way up to an administrative position at Martel & Martel. I type 85 words per minute and am proficient in WordPerfect and Pagemaker. I have always been complimented on the quality of my work and was personally responsible for designing our successful company newsletter. Although I enjoy my current position, I would prefer a more challenging job where I can combine my creative talents and interpersonal skills. I look forward to meeting with you in person to demonstrate that, along with my credentials, I have the personality that makes for a successful team player. Sincerely, Juan Ortega Juan Ortega Enclosure ________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: This is a targeted letter with a specific job focus. Notice how the letter answers the job qualifications. SOURCE: The Resume Writer�s Workbook by Stanley Krantman. Page 101. 2nd edition. Delmar: 2001. SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 20072008 #3 SUSAN CHEN 1212 Otter Drive Smithton, NY 9000 (555) 889-8789 ____________________________________________________________________ June 3, 2000 Michelle Irani Process Engineer Sealico Steel & Metal 700 Sparrow Lane Tiger Creek, AK 90000 Dear Ms. Irani: I enjoyed speaking with you on the phone earlier this week regarding a position with Sealico. Your division sounds exciting and your commitment to �total quality� is very impressive � a conviction I share with you. As you can see from my enclosed resume, I have twelve years experience in metallurgy. At Pershall, my contributions as Process Engineer cut production costs by 14% and increased productivity. I am optimistic that my knowledge and expertise in metallurgy, as well as my business experience in dealing with customer�s needs and material selection, will be an asset to Sealico. I look forward to meeting you personally and will follow-up this letter with a call next week to arrange a meeting at your convenience. I welcome the opportunity to prove that I can make an effective contribution to Sealico. Sincerely, Susan Chen Susan Chen Enclosure ________________________________________________________________________ NOTE:: This is an example of a cover letter which follows up an informational phone call. Although four paragraphs in length, it remains an expansion of the three paragraph format. SOURCE: The Resume Writer�s Workbook by Stanley Krantman. Page 102. 2nd edition. Delmar: 2001 SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 20072008 #4 SUSAN CHEN 1212 Otter Drive Smithton, NY 9000 (555) 889-8789 ______________________________________________________________________________ June 23, 2000 Michelle Irani Process Engineer Sealico Steel & Metal 700 Sparrow Lane Tiger Creek, AK 9000 Dear Michelle, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the interview on January 18th. The opportunity to meet you and become acquainted first hand with the fine work you and your team have been doing, has strengthened my interest in working for Sealico. I think your plan to implement a quality control checklist is excellent. I feel this is an area that I can be of great assistance to you. I am confident that my experience in setting up such a program will add to Sealico�s efficiency and save you money. Sealico is a dynamic and growing organization, and I would love to be a part of your team. I hope I am extended the opportunity to prove that I can make an effective contribution. Sincerely, Susan Chen Susan Chen ________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: The above is an example of a Thank You letter written after a job interview. This is just a courtesy, but it can be a factor that leads to an employer�s choosing you for the position! The informal salutation instead of �Dear Ms. Irani:� is only appropriate if the interviewer prefers informality. SOURCE: The Resume Writer�s Workbook by Stanley Krantman. Page 102. 2nd edition. Delmar: 2001 SUNY Orange � Office of Career & Internship Services Cover Letter Guidelines 20072008 #5 � Letter in response to classified ad which focuses on candidates experience and college degree. August 28, 2007 1405 State Street Goshen, NY 10924 Mr. Andrew Hampton Director of Human Resources Media Corporation 495 Interstate 10 Westchester, NY 90051 Dear Mr. Hampton: Your ad in the Middletown Record on Sunday, August 26 for an Entry Level Manager in the Marketing Division describes someone with my qualifications. My background and education provide me with the candidate profile which is just what Media Corporation needs. As indicated in my enclosed resume, I have over three years experience in office administration at another Westchester advertising firm. As a junior level manager, I was able to write all of my own business correspondence and do so at 80 words per minute. I am also proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including Publisher and PowerPoint, and I have presented office demos utilizing Excel and Access. My degree, an A.A.S. in Business Management from Orange County Community College, provided me with a solid background in the Principles of Marketing, Management, and Accounting. It was my Internship with the ABC Corporation in my last semester, however, which gave me the experience and confidence needed to head a seven member team which brainstormed new marketing trends in the lower Hudson Valley. Our team efforts resulted in expanding our retail market by 20%! I will call your office early next week to make sure you have received my resume. Perhaps, at that time, we can determine a mutually convenient time for an interview. If you wish, you may reach me beforehand at (845) 526-9874. I thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Edward Jones Edward Jones Enclosure