Cover Letters

Cover Letters: Why They Matter

Cover letters introduce you to a potential employer, express your interest in a specific position, and draw attention to your resume. Although a resume is an essential first step in landing an interview, very few employers review a resume without a cover letter. Taking the initiate to create one demonstrates a variety of skills deemed highly by employers - organization, commitment to detail, integrity, and diligence. Given the competitive nature of every job market, go above and beyond and write a cover letter.

Cover letters and resumes are crafted towards a particular job description. The key responsibilities mentioned in the resume should also be used in the cover letter. This provides the employer with clear repetition of the skills, experiences, and accomplishments that you are hoping to sell. Cover letters also enable you to provide more detailed information than is permitted in the resume. Because resumes are short and structured, they offer limited amount of time and space to explain details, which can prevent misunderstandings.

For example, if you took a few years off from work to stay at home with your children, this would appear simply as a gap on the resume, forcing employers to wonder needlessly about your span of unemployment. However, in a cover letter, you could explain why you took time off and integrate those experiences with your decision to re-enter the workforce. Similarly, if you changed careers, returned to school, or had to take a medical leave of absence, a cover letter invites you to include and angle those experiences in a way that intrigues employers. 

Cover Letter Templates

Try the following structures as a template and guide to create a cover letter. 

Final Tips

• Research the employer: view their website, LinkedIn accounts, Glassdoor, etc. for information that might be helpful during an interview, such as company mission statements or employee numbers. By doing initial research, you are demonstrating work ethic, attention to detail, and a willingness to go above and beyond other candidates.

• Check for errors: Carefully read your cover letter (and resume) multiple times.  Read out loud and give to others to read, too, in order to catch all errors.  Need help? Visit the Aims Writing Center or the Career Services for professional review.

• Submit materials to several company representatives: Human Resources is not always the ultimate decision maker in hiring. Thus, always submit materials to the hiring manager as well as human resources.  This is especially important at larger companies or organizations where human resources may mistakenly screen out your application materials for miscellaneous reasons.

• Send a hardcopy: If you submit your resume and cover letter online, submission of an additional hardcopy essentially forces someone to look at your materials.  Oftentimes, the name and contact information of the hiring manager can be found online.

• Follow up: within a day or two of submitting your cover letter and resume, send an email or directly call the HR department and simply say “I recently submitted an application for (position) and would like to confirm that my materials have been received.”

• Send a thank you note after interviews: Doing so demonstrates your enthusiasm for the position and reiterates your interest in the becoming a part of the company. Thoughtful actions, such as follow up phone calls, emails, and thank you letters will set you apart from other applicants.

Want More Career Coaching?

Head over to your college career center. For Aims Students, find more career resources here.