Cover letter writing

COVER LETTER How to write a letter accompanying your CV

• When you send in your CV, you must also remember to include a cover letter. 
• It is more personal than a CV, which can easily be sent to different departments, whereas a cover letter is always directly addressed to a person. 
• It can stress a particular skill, which the company you are applying to may be interested in. 
• You may also explain why you are especially interested in this firm and show what experience you have acquired so far which may be useful in your future job. 
• A cover letter makes the demand less anonymous, you can directly offer to contact the person at a later date. 
• But first, you must be sure you have the right names of the department heads. Then you must be well- informed on the variety of services which the company offers so as to be sure this is the one you want to join.

In a nutshell

The cover letter must specify the position you are applying for and also make specific references to the company. Indicate your knowledge of and interest in the work the company is currently doing, and your qualification for the position. You must communicate

• why you want to work with that specific firm, 
• why you fit into that particular enterprise
• to what extent you qualify for the job you are applying for 

 How to start 

First paragraph 

a)      if you are answering a job advertisement in a newspaper

You must clearly indicate the job you are applying for and where you saw the ad.

Job advertisement should not be shortened to job ad in your cover letter!

      -    This is in reply to your advertisement for a salesperson in The New York Times of February 1st, 2006.

-          I am writing in response to the advertisement for a systems analyst in the June issue of Computer Systems / I am sending/ I am enclosing ....

-          This letter and attached resume are in response to your advertisement for a ... (name of job) in the autumn edition of .... (name of magazine)

-          Your recent advertisement in the ... (name of Journal) for (position) caught my attention.

b)      when someone has recommended you to write to a particular department or person

Mention (if you are allowed to) the name of the person who sent you.

-          M. Mackintosh, your regional sales director for the Northeast, suggested I contact you about a possible opening for a salesperson

-          I obtained your name from ...  recently when I spoke with her about career opportunities in management. She suggested I contact you about an upcoming opening in your electronics department.

-          M. Brown, who supervised my student internship in commercial banking, has encouraged me to write to you about a position with your firm.

c)      You have been sending in CVs to a list of firms

In this case, the first sentence should be less precise, try to find an eye catching one, you could present yourself and the type of job you are after.

-          A personal assistant with an eye for details and the ability to remain calm under pressure is an invaluable asset for any company.

-    As the market place becomes more and more crowded, an effective sales staff is the key to preserving and expanding market shares.

-          In June, I will be finishing my second year at Ecole nationale supérieure de (a leading French school in the field of...). I am interested in finding summer employment with your firm because...

-          I am a second year student in economics at the University of Paris 2. Before choosing a specialized field in economics, I would like to take advantage of the summer months to gain real experience in the field of ...

d)      you are writing to a recruitment agency

-          I am writing to you because I understand you specialize in representing clients in the field of ...

-          Please find enclosed my resume. I am sure that my vast experience in ... will be of interest to some of your many clients.

Second paragraph: your qualifications

Here, you need to show off your skills. Use present perfect when the action you describe started in the past and is still going on in the present.

-          As my resume points out, I have a rare combination of  .... competence in the field of. And even rarer, my managerial experience has not been to the detriment of my scientific competence.

-          I am an efficient ... with the usual... skills, excellent typing and word processing, but I can bring much more to the work place. I have a keen sense of organization which makes it possible for me to manage complex workloads. Besides, I have good communication skills and enjoy working with people of all levels.

        Third paragraph: personal skills and experience

Link your own personal skills to the need of the company. Show that you already have some knowledge of the company and its organization.

     How to end 

        Paragraph four: Suggest a meeting or further contact

I look forward to meeting you

I am confident my qualifications will be of interest to you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

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

It would be a pleasure to supply any further information you may find helpful.

Please feel free to call me at XXXX for any additional information.

I will be in Los Angeles from March 20^th to 28^th. I would like to meet you during that time to explore those possibilities further. May I call you to set up an appointment?

I feel certain that I can contribute to XXX company. Allow me to call you on the 15^th of this month if I don’t hear from you before.

 Verbs to use

-          Although still a student in ..., I am aware of Google’s innovative approach to...

-          I am writing to enquire about the possibility of obtaining a summer internship with IBM

-          As a student in my third and final year of ..., I know how important it is to gain practical experience in the field of ... 

-          GAP offers the possibility of receiving a complete picture of all aspects of ... and has a long history of cooperation with universities and business schools.

-           I am writing about the possibility of carrying out an end-of-studies project with Total in the department of....

Closing your letter

Yours sincerely,

Never mention salary or complain about current employers. Nor should you mention why you intend to change jobs. Always be positive about things.

Date

(UK)                                                              (US)

12^th November, 2005                                  November 12, 2005

12 November 2005

12 Nov. 2005

Layout of a letter 

British Format

American format 

The US format is different. Here is an example:

22 Park Avenue 

 New York 1372
January 10, 2005

Ms. Sharon Stone
Recruiting Coordinator
Department HPP 1201
Microsoft Corporation
Redwood, Seattle, Oregon

Dear Ms. Stone:

Your advertisement for software engineers in the December issue of the IT Review caught my attention.  I was drawn to your ad by my strong interest in both software design and network applications.

I have worked with a computer enhanced programming system for developing intelligent software, and I also have substantial experience in the design of interactive user-friendly software.  Because of this experience, I can make a direct and immediate contribution to your department.  I have enclosed a copy of my resume, which details my qualifications and suggests how I might be of service to Microsoft.

I would like very much to meet you to discuss your open positions for software engineers.  If you wish to arrange an interview, please contact me at the above address or by telephone at (613) 321-7775.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

        Sincerely yours,

        John Kennedy

Exercise : Pick out the differences between the two formats (punctuation, layout etc.)

Here are lists of verbs used in CVs to show what you have achieved in different skills[1].

[1] Source: http://www.quintcareers.com/action_skills.html