Your
cover letter will serve as a SALES PRESENTATION to the employer.
The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce yourself to the
company, state your objectives, highlight your education, experiences,
and qualities, and sell yourself into an interview. A cover
letter follows the basic business letter format, which should
be typed and printed on the same color and quality of paper
as your resume.
Your
cover letter should include:
•
Contact
Information:
Always include your contact information on your cover
letter. If your resume is separated from your cover letter,
an employer will still know how to contact you.
•
Greeting
Salutation:
Always address your cover letter to a particular individual;
never use "To Whom It May Concern." If necessary,
call the employer and request the name of the person responsible
for selecting interns and co-op students for the position
in your career field. Be sure to request the correct spelling
and the job title of that person. If you cannot get the
name, address your salutation to the title of the person,
i.e. "Dear Internship Coordinator." Use "Dear
Sir or Ms." as a last resort.
•
First
Paragraph:
State your purpose or objective in the opening sentence
of your letter. Specifically name the internship/co-op
position for which you are applying so the employer knows
immediately what you want. Tell how you heard of the position
or organization. If your academic advisor suggested that
you follow-up on this position, include his or her name
here. For example, "Professor Jones suggested I contact
you about . . ." Make sure you have permission from
the person to whom you refer, and that the contact knows
the person to whom you are sending your letter. Do some
research about the employer and indicate in your letter
why you are particularly interested in them. If possible,
try to grab the reader's attention in this paragraph.
•
Second
Paragraph:
Mention one or two qualifications you think would qualify
you for the position and that would be of greatest interest
to the internship/co-op coordinator. It can be effective
to expand on one or two related experiences or specialized
training listed in your resume. Do not repeat information
on your resume word for word. Tell why you are particularly
interested in this type of work.
•
Third
Paragraph:
Close your letter by thanking the internship/co-op coordinator
or interviewing committee for their consideration and
requesting an interview. In any case, make sure that your
closing statement is positive and requests a specific
action from the reader.
Additional
Tips:
•
Avoid
sending your cover letter and resume to the personnel
or human resources department of an employer. If you must
send your cover letter and resume to personnel, send a
copy to the person responsible for hiring for the position,
as well.
•
Do
not write a general or generic cover letter and send it
to multiple employers. They will know a form letter when
they see one. Always tailor your letter to the employer
and position for which you are applying.
When
the cover letter is completed.
It should answer the following questions:
•
Tells
your prospective employer what you can do for the company.
•
Why
you feel you are qualified for the position.
•
Highlights
important points in your resume.
•
Expand
on any past experience that suits the particular internship
or co-op for which you are applying.
•
Focuses
on what you can contribute to the employer.
•
Ask
for an interview
Need Help
There are various resources available to help you write an effective
cover letter such as: the Internet that offers an arrays of
tools and guides, numerous books at the library and bookstore,
and your teachers, counselors, and parents.
