When a person interviews for a particular job and provides a résumé, a cover letter introducing the prospective employee to the employer is standard. The letter should explain why the employee is seeking the job and why he/she wants to work at this place of business in particular. The letter must follow one of the accepted styles for letter writing in a business. The full block is the simplest and most common, but several other accepted styles exist. The student’s word processing program often will have templates of these styles. The student should pay particular attention to spelling, grammar, and mechanics. Even one mistake can exclude a person from a job.
Here is the information that should be included in each paragraph:
Introductory Paragraph – The student should introduce him/herself and explain which job he/she is seeking and possibly how he/she heard about the position. This paragraph needs to quickly get to the purpose of the letter, so the student may want to briefly highlight why he/she would make an excellent employee.
Body Paragraphs – The student should go into more detail about his/her qualifications and should explain why this particular business is of interest. It is a good idea to make it seem as if this is the only job the student wants because this is the right place to work. Researching the company might assist in this. Visit the company’s web page, ask for brochures, or look for news articles on the Internet in order to do this research. The student will also want to elaborate on any information not in the résumé to allow his/her personality and unique qualities to come through.
Concluding Paragraph – The student should thank the employer and request that the employer consider him/her for the job. Explain the next step you plan to take as an employee, such as coming in or calling to request an interview. End with a finished feel and a humble, yet optimistic, tone about getting the job.
Student Examples
Kevin Moreland Cover Letter
Shannon Durbin Cover Letter
Zoe Clevely Cover Letter