A cover letter is a chance for you to show your employer your personal and professional qualifications that go beyond what is listed on your resume. Resumes tell employers which candidates are qualified; cover letters tell them which of the qualified candidates they should interview. You should always send a cover letter, along with your resume, as part of a job application, unless the job posting explicitly tells you not to.
How to Write a Good Cover Letter
Research the position and the employer.
This step is not optional. A good cover letter is a document that explains why you would be an excellent fit for that particular job and that particular employer. You cannot explain this if you do not know anything about the job or employer. Cover letters should be tailored very carefully to the skills and attributes required for that specific job. This means you must write a different cover letter for each position for which you are applying.
Back up your assertions with evidence.
Evidence of your qualifications is the meat of your cover letter. You can’t expect a hiring manager to take you at your word when you say you’re a “hard worker.” Instead, think of a project or anecdote that demonstrates your work ethic, and tell that story in your cover letter. This will not only help you avoid re-hashing your resume (see “What Not to Do,” below), but it will also give your reader a chance to see a little bit of your personality.
Demonstrate those “excellent written communication skills.”
Does the job posting ask for “excellent” communication or writing skills? If so, the cover letter is your chance to demonstrate them! Always edit and revise your cover letter at least once (if not more) and have a second person scan it for proofreading errors and typos. Make sure your language is clear, elegant, and professional.
What Not To Do
- Repeat all the information on your resume in paragraph form. Your employer already has your resume. They don’t need another re-telling of your work history. Instead, use your cover letter to delve more deeply into your most relevant experience or qualifications for the job at hand.
- Be self-deprecating or negative about your abilities. Writing about yourself without coming off as arrogant can be tough, but avoid the temptation to be down on yourself. You want employers to recognize you as someone with confidence in their own abilities.
- Be overly pushy or gimmicky. The best thing you can do to make yourself stand out in a cover letter is to clearly and elegantly explain your qualifications for the position. Likewise, while you should address how hiring you will help meet the company’s needs, identifying “problems” that hiring you would “fix” will come off as unpleasantly presumptuous.
- Use a generic cover letter. Using a cover letter that is not tailored to the specific position not only risks glossing over the qualifications that your potential employer is looking for, but it also demonstrates a poor work ethic. Yes, writing multiple, individualized cover letters is time-consuming, but it is also the best way to get that coveted interview slot.
Also see Career Services for advice on Cover Letters
1Green, A. (2016, March 3). How do I write a compelling cover letter when I don’t have much work experience [Web log post]. Retrieved from Ask a Manager.
This handout is adapted from resources created by Christine Acker of the University Writing Center at the University of Texas at Austin and Alison Green of the Ask a Manager blog.