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MBA-level Cover Letters: Your Resume Companion Presented by: Mike Brown Director, MBA Career Services Class of 2016 Orientation Planning An individual letter to a specific person for a particular reason with a unique message. Five great reasons to write a cover letter 1. 2. 3. 4. Make a positive first impression State your job objective, goal Generate interest in your resume Showcase your skills and accomplishments 5. Demonstrate your communication skills Reason # 6 If the company states that a cover letter is optional; consider it mandatory! Four Preparation Steps Analyze the position Map your qualifications to the job Follow an organized format Proofread and review Analyze The Position • • • • • Identify key skills and qualifications Determine interest and fit Link together common themes Research the recruiter or hiring manager Uncover any contacts within the company Map Qualifications To The Job • Identify your transferable skills o Leadership o Communication o Analytical • List your translatable accomplishments o Reduced costs o Improved processes o Generated revenue Use The “T” Framework You want: I have: Top notch analytical skills STAR accomplishment Excellent negotiation skills STAR accomplishment Tenacious problem solving skills STAR accomplishment Strong strategic thinking skills STAR accomplishment Ability to influence across teams STAR accomplishment Flexibility to adapt STAR accomplishment Customers Problems Time Accomplishments Quality Money Workflow Follow An Organized Format Letter heading Heading and Salutation Who it’s from? Who it’s to? 1st paragraph Introduce Yourself Why you are writing? 2nd paragraph Express Your Interest Why them? 3rd paragraph Summarize Your Qualifications What’s your value? 4th paragraph Wrap It Up What happens next? Heading & Salutation • • • • • Return address Date: Month day, year Contact’s name; title Full inside address Salutation to a specific contact name MBA Career Guide pg. 46 JOHN Q. COLLEGE 120 E. College Avenue State College, PA 16802 [email protected] 814 222-1234 October 20, 2013 Mr Tyler Brown Recruiter, University Relations Apple Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 Dear Mr Brown: Introduce Yourself • • • • • Communicate your professional you Explain why you are writing Refer to the program or position State how/where you learned of it Mention your referral or alum Express Your Interest • • • Tell them why they are unique to you Translate research (what you know) to passion (why them) This must be genuine; not boilerplate! Summarize Your Qualifications • • • • • Choose 3-5 critical points Bridge experience to company needs Map qualifications to job requirements Emphasize your transferable skills State relevant accomplishments My skills and achievements that most closely match the requirements for this position are: Top notch analytical skills – Developed a product trend analysis…. Excellent negotiation skills – Mediated the successful agreement of…. Tenacious problem solving skills – Devised a solution to….. Strong strategic thinking skills – Developed a strategy for a public interest campaign…. Ability to influence across teams – Led two cross-functional teams in the implementation of…. I strongly believe that my skills and experience would be a significant asset to your company. A few examples include: Recruitment / Staffing • Recruited, interviewed and trained over 75 new hires for two major hubs and nine operations centers. Employer Relations / Benefits • Managed the HRIS containing benefits and employee relations data on more than 5,000 employees located throughout Tennessee. Customer Service / Sales • Managed 56 senior accounts, including major corporations and industry leaders such as IBM, AT&T and Wells Fargo, which generated over $20 million in annual revenue. Wrap It Up • • • • Ask for the interview State your follow up Use active vs. passive language Thank reader for consideration Cover Letter Guidelines Readability Formatting Font style Times New Roman or Arial Font size 11-12 point font Margins 1” nothing less Typeface Consistent with resume Contact information heading Consistent with resume Paragraphs No more than four Page length One page Proofread It Like A Recruiter Readability Interest WIIFM Is the page layout appealing? Do you know anything about us? Will you make me money? Attention to detail Spelling or grammar errors? Personality Will you fit in my company? Final questions?