Cover Letter Functions:

• Tells the employer what type of position you are seeking.
• Entices the reader to learn more about you by reading your resume.
• Provides or expands your resume objective.
• Serves as a small window into your personality that makes the employer feel he or she simply must get to know you better.
• Gives you a little-used opportunity to impress the prospective employer by showcasing your knowledge about the company and/or its industry.
• Shows how well you express yourself.
• Enables you to avoid reinventing your resume for every job by using your cover letter to frame your qualifications in different ways for different jobs.

First Paragraph:

• "Why I'm Writing" -- Introduction of self and statement of interest.
• Explain why you are writing in a way that will arouse the employer's interest. Be specific about what type of position you seek and what you can offer.

Second Paragraph:

• "How I'm Qualified."
• Briefly describe your academic and professional qualifications.

Third Paragraph:

• "Why I'm Right for this Job."
• Relate yourself to the company, giving details about why you should be considered for the job. This is a good place to demonstrate your knowledge of the company or industry.

Fourth (or last) Paragraph:

• "What Steps I'll Take to Make Sure We Talk Further about My Qualifications."
• Request action.
• Ask for an interview.
• Tell the employer you will make contact within a specific period of time (such as a week, 10 days, two weeks). Then be sure to carry out the follow-up action you said you would. It's also a good idea to tell the employer in the final paragraph how to reach you during business hours.

Emphasizing Your Transferable and Marketable Skills:

Consider transferable skills you've attained exclusively in the classroom:

• Ability to meet deadlines, thrive under deadline pressure
• Ability to handle multiple tasks
• Ability to achieve goals
• Ability to adapt
• Writing skills
• Research skills

Emphasizing Your Transferable and Marketable Skills:

The most global and overarching skills and qualities mentioned by career experts:

• Communication skills (oral and written)
• Teamwork/group/interpersonal skills
• Leadership skills
• Work-ethic traits, such as drive, stamina, effort, self-motivation, diligence, ambition, initiative, reliability, positive attitude toward work
• Logic, intelligence, proficiency in field of study

Avoid Weak and Passive Verbs:

Weak:

I received many awards for highest sales in the store.

Stronger:

I earned many awards for highest sales in the store.

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Weak:

In my most recent experience, I was placed in a leadership position and received honors for both academic and leadership excellence. My assigned squad leader required me to assign duties to the members of my squad and made me accountable for their actions.

Stronger:

In my most recent experience, I took on a leadership position and earned honors for both academic and leadership excellence. I assigned duties to the members of my squad and was accountable for their actions.

Use active rather than passive voice.

A passive verb is a verb phrase consisting of a form of the verb "to be" followed by a past participle. The subject of an active verb acts, while the subject of a passive verb is acted upon.

More Writing Tips:

Passive:

My engineering background was used to communicate effectively our requirements to suppliers and to understand the development engineer's specifications.

Active:

I used my engineering background to communicate effectively our requirements to suppliers and to understand the development engineer's specifications.

The tip-off to whether a verb is passive is if you can tack a prepositional phrase beginning with "by" to the end of the verb phrase: My engineering background was used [by me] to communicate effectively our requirements to suppliers and to understand the development engineer's specifications. Check for actual or potential "by" phrases as you read over your letter. One of the most effective features of the grammar-checkers on most word-processing software is their ability to spot passive constructions.

More Writing Tips:

Nondescriptive verb:

I was an accounting assistant in my most recent internship.

Descriptive verbs:

I provided accounting assistance in my most recent internship.

I served as an accounting assistant in my most recent internship.

Nondescriptive verb:

I did consumer surveys during my summer employment with a marketing research firm.

Descriptive verb:

I conducted consumer surveys during my summer employment with a marketing research firm.

Nondescriptive verb:

I worked in magazine advertising sales over Christmas break.

Descriptive verb:

I sold magazine advertising over Christmas break.