Cover Letters

Why do I need a cover letter?

It brings your resume to life. Your resume is a list of your past experiences and the skills you’ve gained. A cover letter can provide context to those experiences as well as speak directly to the job posting and explain why you are a good fit for that specific job. 

Can I write a cover letter without a job description?

Nope! The purpose of the cover letter is to connect your experience to the specific job you’re applying to. So if you have no clue what kind of job it is, then you can’t write the cover letter.

What if I don’t understand parts of the job description?

Google it! You really need to understand what they’re looking for in order to write a cover letter and explain why you would be a good candidate for the job. Google terms or phrases that you don’t understand, ask your professors, or ask me! The more you understand what they’re looking for, the better you’ll during the application and interview process.

What if I don’t have any experience at all that relates to the job?

That’s completely OK. Focus on the skills they are looking for that you DO have.  If you don’t have any direct work experience (meaning you’ve done a similar job somewhere else), you will have to highlight your transferable skills (skills you gained from an un-related job, school, clubs, sports, etc.). 

How long does my cover letter have to be?

It should be one page. You can play with the spacing for the heading and closing if the actual letter is shorter or longer, but it should never be longer than one page and shorter than a half page. 

What if I don’t know anything about the company?

Do some research! Look them up online and find the “About Us” section. Read about their mission and values and find a few things that resonate with you. Perhaps it’s their commitment to sustainability or developing their employees, there is bound to be something in there that you can connect with. And if there isn’t at all, then perhaps that job isn’t a good fit for you.

Can I include school projects, club involvement, or sports examples in my cover letter?

Yes, absolutely! If you have work experience that relates to the job you’re applying to, then write about that. However, if a stronger example is from another type of experience, then it’s perfectly OK to write about that. For example, the employer is looking for someone with marketing skills and you are part of a club where you create flyers and emails for upcoming events, then you can certainly talk about that in your cover letter!

June 12, 2019

Ms. Jane Brown

Director of Human Resources

ABC Company

123 Shady Street

San Rafael, CA 94901

Dear Ms. Brown,

Introductory Paragraph to include: 

Job title you are applying to

Where you heard about the position (which website, name of who referred you (if you know an employee there), etc.)

Why you are interested in the position 

Why you are interested in the company 

Body Paragraph to include:

Why you are a good fit for the position

How your past experiences (work, school, sports, etc.) relate to what the employer is looking for (look at the job description!). You can do this in a variety of ways:

Explain a large project you worked on that includes many different skills (that relate to what the employer is looking for)

Use bullet points if you have a handful of skills you want to highlight

If you have two main experiences/skills that you want to highlight, you can break this up into two shorter paragraphs

Concluding Paragraph to include:

Summary of why you think you would be a good fit 

Your excitement and your confidence in being a valuable addition to the team

Thank you in advance for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Fran Smith