Writing a Cover Letter

A How-to Guide

Goals for cover letter writing

Goal one: understanding what a cover letter is not

A cover letter is not a narrative version of your résumé
It is not a place to talk about how you will benefit from the position you are seeking
It is not more than one page, nor is it addressed generically “to Whom it May Concern,” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”
It is not a “template” letter used each time you apply.

Goal two: necessary aspects of a cover letter

An original letter, directed to a specific opportunity
A professionally formatted letter that is addressed to a specific person, if possible, or at least a specific position
Demonstration that you understand the position and have researched the company
A short story introducing yourself as a candidate; some-thing that draws the reader in
A focus on what you are offering the employer in terms of qualifications and fit for the organization
A well-written document, without spelling or grammar er-rors, that serves as a writing sample

Drafting the cover letter

First Step: Know what you are applying for

It is imperative when drafting a cover letter that you have a good understanding of the position, qualifications, and the mission/values of the organization—research them!
Analyze your experiences and abilities in this context and decide if you are com-petitive for the position, from the employer’s viewpoint!

Second Step: Introduction

The introduction of a cover letter should begin with a brief story, one that ties you, your abilities, and passions to the position you are seeking
It should be relatively brief but also include the position you are seeking
It should focus on what you are offering, rather than what you are getting
The following example, cut from a real cover letter, is an excellent introduction

Dear Director of Recruiting:

When I was 14, an infomercial came on talking about a book promoting organic foods and living a healthy life. Immedi-ately, I was hooked onto eating healthy and not wanting to eat at restaurants or fast food anymore. As it turned out, the book was a complete scam, however through the experience my passion was born and hasn’t looked back since. As the years have gone on, my knowledge has gotten better and has expanded into sustainable living and reducing the pollution to our planet. As my parents, professors, and myself started asking what I am going to do after college, it became clear that I had to work in an area that supports sustainability and drives my passion. Tesla Motors promotes a mission that wants to accelerate sustainable energy and together I believe I can be a perfect fit in the culture Tesla has created.

Third Step: Qualifications

This section connects your abilities to the position, by summarizing what you can do and connecting it directly to parts of the job description
You should avoid rewriting your résumé; let the résumé stand on its own
You should show that you can analyze the position, determine the main points that need to be addressed, and show that you have the capability to perform
The example below, cut from a real cover letter, shows how to compose the qualifications section

As indicated in my résumé, I have worked carefully to ensure proper following of procedures, efficient case management, and clear communication. My education has taught me to critically read and write in a manner that will aid in re-search as well as communicating with donors. I have developed the necessary tools to provide effective case manage-ment through data tracking and maintaining schedules. Through my different experiences in a college office and a foster care agency I have learned to be flexible and help provide service to people with different needs. I can efficiently priori-tize tasks and meet deadlines by keeping a calendar. I believe in making people feel comfortable and providing clear communication. I can quickly and efficiently transfer these skills and abilities to The Salvation Army to help meet its needs.

Fourth Step: Fit with the organization

It is not sufficient to be capable of doing a job; you also need to fit well with the organization
The cover letter should introduce your personality, personal mission, and values that correspond with those of the organization
This requires that you research the organization’s website, network with current or former employees, and look for particular phrases in the position description that gives you insight into the “personality” of the organization
The example below, cut from a real cover letter, shows a connection between the applicant’s passion for the organization and how it will help serve the organization

Further, I also have a strong desire to work in this position. At the first DCI show I saw, I was positively blown away by the passion and the sheer amount of hard work each drum corps poured into their shows. Though I’ve seen many more shows since then, I am impressed more and more each time. This commitment to excellence has always inspired me, and it is to this ideal that I aspire in all that I accomplish, as evidenced by my GPA. I have a great amount of respect for the students and staff members alike who work hard to make DCI possible. Though I may not be a performing member of a corps, it thrills me to know that I can still be a part of that excellence that first inspired me years ago by working behind the scenes.

Fifth Step: Closing

The closing should provide a brief synopsis of the letter
You should not include new information or ideas; those are better served in the previous sections
Thank the reader for reviewing your letter and résumé
Ask for an interview! Do it gracefully, but use the word, “interview” in your letter
It is fine, but not necessary to include your contact information at the end of the letter; you can include it in the header at the top
Always close your letter with “Sincerely,” rather than with any other closing
The example below, cut from a real cover letter, shows an effective closing

It would truly be a pleasure to join the team at Bluegrass Community Foundation in the upcoming semester. I am confident that my skills and interests will prove resourceful for achieving the mission of improving our community. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interview as to further review my qualifications for the Community and Rural Outreach internship position. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sixth Step: Submitting your application

Edit your letter and be sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors
Follow the job posting’s instructions for submission
Whenever possible, submit your cover letter, along with a competitive résumé, as a PDF document so that format issues will not occur on the recipients’ computers

Points	1 (poor)	2	3	4	5 (excellent)
Format	–No addresses –Non-Business style paragraphs –Addressed “To Whom it May Concern or Dear Sir or Madam	–Address of writ-er, but not recipient –Indented para-graphs –Not addressed to recipient	–Addresses appear –Business format –Not addressed to recipient	–Addresses ap-pear –Business format –Addressed to a position, but not a person	–Addresses appear –Business format –Addressed to recipient
Introduction/closing	–Does not mention what is applied for or where position was found –Does not ask for interview –Does not thank reader	–Focused on what the writer wants –Does not mention where position was found –Does not ask for an interview	–Focused on what writer wants –Mentions referral or posting location –Does not ask for interview	–Writer offers to help organization –Mentions referral or other inside knowledge –Does not ask for an interview	–Opens with story –Writer offers to help organization –Mentions referral or other inside knowledge –Writer solicits an interview profes-sionally
Qualifications section	–Limited or non-existent –Shows no capacity to do the job. –Shows no understanding of position.	–Simple rewrite of the résumé. –Shows no connection to the job.	–Rewrite of the résumé –Makes some connection to the job.	–Focuses on ability to do the job. –Includes a lot of résumé experiences.	–Connects to needs of job. –Shows capability –Mentions some examples, but directs reader to the résumé.
“Fit” Section	–No mention of company –“Generic” cover letter	–Shows rudimentary understand-ing of company –No mention of personal qualities that connect.	–Rudimentary understanding of company. –Some focus on personal qualities/connection	–Shows strong understanding of company –Makes good connections between person and company	–Well written connection between company and personal mission. –Shows how you belong there.
Writing and mechanics	–Poorly Written –Littered with spelling/grammar errors	–Weak sentences –Poor paragraph structure –Errors in spelling/ grammar	–Better writing –Some awkward sentences, but good overall –Some errors	–No errors –Good writing –Good paragraphs	–No errors –Strong, intelligent, purposeful writing

Examples of well written cover letters

The two letters on the following pages, along with the résumé the applicants sub-mitted, yielded them an interviewmitted, interview.
Review the job postings prior to reading the letters to see how the applicants re-sponded to them.

Example #1: Position with Lexingon-Fayette Urban County Government

Posted job description

Lexington-Fayette Human Rights Commission

INVESTIGATOR I Performs routine investigation involving discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations pursuant to Federal, State and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Ordinances 199-94 and 201-99 under the supervision and direction of the Supervising Investigator and Executive Director. This is an entry-level position. Bi-lingual candidate is preferred, but not required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: 1. Bachelor degree in Business, Psychology, Personnel, Labor Relations, Social Work or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Basic keyboarding and word processing skills also desired. 2. Possession of a valid driver’s license or have the ability to provide your own transportation.

EXAMINATION will be a pass/fail oral and written examination.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission offers an outstanding benefit package with includes: three (3) weeks vacation and three weeks (3) sick leave per year.

An LFUC-HRC application with required documents to verify your education, training or certification/licenses must be submitted by the deadline date. Applicants must be able to perform all essential job func-tions as identified in the job posting.

The position will be open until a qualified applicant is hired.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL (859) 252-4931 OR WRITE
Raymond Sexton, Executive Director
Lexington-Fayette Human Rights Commission
342 Waller Ave., Suite 1A-Lexington, KY 40504

Cover letter

Civil Rights Defender

859-555-0042 crdevender24@transy.edu¹

February 26, 2024

Mr. Raymnond Sexton, Executive Director
Lexington-Fayette Human Rights Commission
342 Waller Ave., Suite 1A, Lexington, KY 40504²

Dear Mr. Sexton

My International Affairs degree has opened my eyes to the worldwide struggle of basic human rights. While my education has focused on a wide view of human rights issues, I believe that the first step is to look to protect individuals here in Lexington. This is the reason for my interest in Lexington-Fayette Human Rights Commission’s Investigator I position, that I learned about through the Transylvania University Young Alumni Association.³ I believe I can help fulfill the needs of the HRC⁴ by applying my experience in following procedures, efficiently managing cases, clearly communicating to all parties and diligently and objectively investigating the human rights issues involving the people of Lexington-Fayette.

As indicated in my résumé, I have worked closely with several supervisors in order to ensure poper following of procedures, efficient case management and clear communication.⁵ My education has taught me to investigate documents and situations. I have developed the necessary tools to provide an objective analysis of an occurrence and establish a position. Through my different experiences in a college office and a foster care agency I have learned to be flexible and help provide service to people with different needs. I can efficiently explain to people how processes work as well as work through issues that people may face. I believe in making people feel comfortable and providing clear communication. Through my campus involvement I have learned how to help outgoing individuals as well as shy and quiet individuals. I have successfully helped studetns learn the rules and responsibilities of members as well as develop solutions to problems as they occur.

My passion behind my major at Transylvania University is to ultimately help people. I believe in providing basic rights for all. This passion helps me get along well with others and helps me create a welcoming environment for people to work in. Along with my passion, I am a quick learner and pick up skills easily. These abilities allow me to make smooth transitions and to use time efficiently.

With my experience and abilities I can fulfill the responsibilities needed by the Lexington-Fayette Human Rights Commission. I hope you will consider my application for the Investigaator I position. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interview. If it is necessary to reach me, my contact information is above. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Civil Defender

Example #2: Position with FoodChain & GleanKY

Posted job description

Farm to Kitchen Coordinator⁶

A Joint Position with FoodChain & GleanKY, Lexington, KY

FoodChain forges links between our community and fresh food through education and demonstration of sustainable food systems. Our program goals are to improve access to fresh food, educate and demonstrate innovative growing techniques, offer cooking classes focused on health and affordability, increase local food distribution, and make a difference through job training and living wage employment. GleanKY gathers and redistributes fresh fruits and vegetables to nourish Kentucky’s hungry. This position will be a bridge between these two organizations in order to increase efficiency of local food distribution in central KY. Bulk and surplus foods will be brought into the FoodChain Kitchen in order to be lightly processed and distrib-uted to GleanKY recipient sites, utilized in food and nutrition education, and sold through the FoodChain Kitchen.

Staff is needed to manage the logistics between sources (growers and grocers), transporters, processors, and consumers, as well as ensure effective communication between FoodChain and GleanKY. This person will launch the FoodChain-GleanKY partnership and facilitate the flow of food through the new infrastructure in order to better serve the needs of our food insecure neighbors. In addition, staff is necessary to build relationships with the end users of the food —to both gather stories and perform informal and formal assessments to guarantee the partnership’s measurable goals are attained. Infor-mation gathered will be attractively and clearly presented for the public in order to encourage replication and improvements.

Responsibilities: ⁷

Coordinating with GleanKY staff and FoodChain’s Kitchen Manager to bring gleaned produce in from area farms and redistribute processed goods
Devise, utilize, and disseminate a tracking system to log source of input goods, how they were processed, and their end-point
Keep detailed financial records of input costs and revenues associated with the processed food in close collaboration with FoodChain’s Kitchen Manager
Maintain and develop partnerships with producers, feeding recipients, and other like-minded organizations to minimize food insecurity in our region
Work to coordinate communication and field questions from the general public, including promotions with press and me-dia, that appropriately represents the missions of both organizations
Participate in regular meetings with key GleanKY and FoodChain staff to ensure effective communication and mutual mission benefit

Preferred Qualifications:⁸

Good collaborator and excellent self-manager
Good interpersonal skills and a consistent, solution-oriented attitude
Ability to operate effectively in a demanding, public, constantly evolving team environment requiring high energy and flexibility
Excellent verbal and written English communication skills
Independent problem-solver and multi-tasker
Ability to apply best practices to electronic record-keeping, process tracking, and documentation to communicate results and issues easily and effectively
Familiarity with seasonal production and farming culture
Ability to relate to people of diverse backgrounds

Cover letter

Food Chain

859-555-1780 fxchain24@transy.edu

May 4, 2024

Ms. Becca Self
Founder and Executive Director, FoodChain
Ms. Stephanie Wooten
Executive Director, GleanKY

Dear Ms. Self and Ms Wooten:

My name is Food Chain and at the end of May I will be graduating from Transylvania University with a self-designed Bachelor of Arts Degree in Nutrition & Sustainability. My sophomore year of college, I enrolled in a course titled “Current Trends in Nutrition” and it was that semester that something sparked inside of me. I suddenly found myself reading books by Michael Pollan, Fred Bahnson and other food activists in my spare time. These books showed me alternative ways that I could get involved in helping those who are food insecure gain access to fresh, healthy food through community gardens and sustainable agriculture programs. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of our lives and what we eat has the ability to govern the way we think and fee. My experiences at Transylvania have led me to want to make that information and nourishment available to everyone in a way that benefits both the human body and the planet we live on.⁹

After reading the description of the duties and responsibilities of the Farm to Kitchen Coordinator, I believe that my passions and experiences make me the person for the job. As a type 1 diabetic, nutrition has always been important to me¹⁰ and it was not until I volunteered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) that I became aware of how many people do not have access to the fresh, healthy food that keeps the body healthy. This realization led me to an internship with the Anathoth Community Farm and Garden in North Carolina that allowed me to serve the community around me in a way that would both benefit the environment and provide fresh food for those who are food insecure. I leaned skill such as how to develop partnerships with feeding recipients and other like minded organizations to help minimize food insecurity and I became knowledgeable about farming culture through daily hands-on farm experience and weekly classes covering the details of seasonal production.

I gained additional expertise in representing JDRF by going to corporate organizations to brief them on what the organization does as a non-profit in order to secure sponsorships. I also created and managed databases of contacts to provide further outreach, both for education and fundraising. These public outreach and organization skills will be useful in helping to keep detailed financial records of input costs and revenues associated with processed food. In addition, my work in the William T. Young Campus Center has allowed me to learn how to properly interface with guests in a way that is both professional and kind and it will be pertinent to my ability to coordinate with both GleanKY and FoodChain staff in terms of fielding questions from and communications with the general public.

All of these experiences have culminated with me discovering that I am passionate about all people having knowledge about and access to food that is both healthy for their bodies bu also healthy for the Earth and I believe that this position will be a great fit for both myself and for GleanKY and FoodChain. I am looking forward to the opportunity to speak with you in an interview¹¹ about how I can contribute to the good work that GleanKY and FoodChain are doing in our community. thank you so much for your time and consideration!

Sincerely,¹²
Food Chain