Transcript Document

COVER LETTER WRITING
WORKSHOP
February/March 2012
Office of Career and Professional Development
William Mitchell College of Law
Cover Letters
• Do not underestimate the power of a good
or bad cover letter:
If good: reader goes to resume; impressed
with writing; already likes candidate.
If bad: reader puts application in shredder
without looking at resume, references,
transcript or writing sample.
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Purpose of Cover Letter
• Introduction to Employer
• Writing Sample/first impression
• Clearly articulate (2) points:
1. Why you want to work for THIS employer.
2. Why this employer should hire YOU.
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Biggest Mistakes
• Repeating resume – boring
• Boiler plate language, not tailored to
specific employer – good bye
• Grammatical/typographical errors – shred
• Too long, verbose, pompous or apologetic
• Not addressed to a person, i.e.. To whom
it may concern….find a person, a name
• Copying verbatim from our sample lettersUse your own language!
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234 Main St.
Minneapolis, MN 55432
September 23, 2006
Brian McGill,
Staff Attorney
Jones and Carlson
139 Oak St.
Willmar, MN 55432
Dear Mr. McGill:
I am writing to express my interest in working for your firm as a law clerk this summer. I learned of this position through the posting on
Symplicity. I am currently a second-year law student at William Mitchell College of Law. Enclosed is a resume for your review.
I am particularly interested in Jones and Carlson because of your firm’s emphasis on real estate transactions, maintaining a high level of
customer/client service, and the desire to expand your client base. Because of your focus in these areas, I believe I could be an asset to
your firm.
I have been a Real Estate Agent for eight years in my previous career and have taken additional legal coursework in property, real estate
transactions, commercial real estate, and tax and estate planning. In my previous position with Burnett Realty, I received numerous
performance awards and increased sales by 25% in a rural out state area of Minnesota. In addition to substantial work experience in real
estate and the ability to bring in new clients, participation in Law Review and high grades in law school are evidence of strong analytical,
research and writing skills.
Please feel free to contact me if you need further information. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Joe Cool
Enclosure
Content of a cover letter
Heading
•
•
•
•
Address of applicant on top left
Date of letter – center or left margin
justified
Complete name/title/address of
recipient
Salutation
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For Example:
HEADING
369 Bottom Line Way
Blaine, MN 55448
March 1, 2012
Heidi Smith
Law Firm
123 Elm St.
St. Paul, MN 55105
Dear Ms. Smith:
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Body of Cover Letter
Paragraph 1 -- Introduction:
State why you are writing, name the position for which
you are applying, and tell how you heard of the
opening. You may also refer to another person’s name.
(If someone your reader knows suggested the position
to you, mention his/her name, but first get permission
to do so.)
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Body of Cover Letter Cont’d
• Paragraph 2: Why are you interested in THIS
particular employer?
Be specific – do the leg work, find out their
mission/vision, read their web site and find articles,
publications, cases or themes that you can tap into.
What draws you to this employer, why are you the best
fit? The size of the organization? The location? The
substantive work?
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Body of Cover Letter Cont’d
• Paragraph 3: Why are YOU the best candidate for this
position? Make the best, honest match to the job
posting.
Why are you UNIQUELY qualified? Language skills? Coursework?
Volunteer experience? Prior work/professional skills?
Highlight skills in research, writing, analysis, meeting deadlines,
multitasking, handling pressure, working collaboratively and
independently etc.
Don’t Tell – SHOW, i.e.. I have great research skills , versus, My
experience as a research assistant to Professor John Sonsteng
working on the publication of a legal treatise has provided me
with an opportunity to hone my writing and analytical skills.
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Body of Cover Letter Cont’d
• Close with a brief one or two line
conclusion.
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234 Main St.
Minneapolis, MN 55432
September 23, 2006
Brian McGill,
Staff Attorney
Jones and Carlson
139 Oak St.
Willmar, MN 55432
Dear Mr. McGill:
I am writing to express my interest in working for your firm as a law clerk this summer. I learned of this position through the posting on
Symplicity. I am currently a second-year law student at William Mitchell College of Law. Enclosed is a resume for your review.
I am particularly interested in Jones and Carlson because of your firm’s emphasis on real estate transactions, maintaining a high level of
customer/client service, and the desire to expand your client base. Because of your focus in these areas, I believe I could be an asset to
your firm.
I have been a Real Estate Agent for eight years in my previous career and have taken additional legal coursework in property, real estate
transactions, commercial real estate, and tax and estate planning. In my previous position with Burnett Realty, I received numerous
performance awards and increased sales by 25% in a rural out state area of Minnesota. In addition to substantial work experience in real
estate and the ability to bring in new clients, participation in Law Review and high grades in law school are evidence of strong analytical,
research and writing skills.
Please feel free to contact me if you need further information. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Joe Cool
Enclosure
Consistency
• Use same paper/font as your resume
• Keep cover letter to 1 page only!
• Need affirmation of what you just learned?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0suKZ-oU8s
(left click, open hyperlink)
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use abbreviations in the address block?
Response: It is proper to use common abbreviations with periods, such as “Ave., St., Blvd.” in your cover letter. We
recommend adding periods, because most people are used to them in the context of a written document. If you prefer
to write out the words, that is appropriate as well. If you want to delete the periods and follow the U.S.Postal Service’s
recommendation on the envelope, that is your preference.
2. What if I can’t find the employer name on the posting? How do I address the letter and specify why I am applying
to that employer?
Response: Some employers chose to have blind postings, which excludes their law office or organization name and
contact information. When responding to blind postings, address your letter to “Hiring Manager,” and you can skip the
paragraph about why you are interested in that specific employer.
3. What font should I use?
Response: Use a font style that is simple, easy to read, and professional, such as Times Roman and Ariel. The font style
on your resume and cover letter should be the same. We recommend a font size of at least 11 or 12.
4. What spacing should I use between the paragraphs?
Response: There should be at least one space between your address block, date, employer’s address block, salutation
line, first paragraph and between each paragraph. You do not need to double space in the header, unless you need to
extend your letter due to shorter paragraphs.
5. In the concluding paragraph, should I state I will contact the employer to inquire about scheduling an interview?
Response: No. We recommend you follow up to inquire about the position after 7-10 days, but you do not need to
state that you will do so in the letter. The exception to this general rule is if you have a personal contact who
recommended you apply, it would be appropriate to state in the letter you will follow up within the next two weeks to
inquire about the application process.
6. If the posting states that the resumes and cover letters be submitted by email, what is the proper email format?
Response: Use the introduction and concluding paragraphs of your cover letter as the text of your email to the
employer, and attach the resume and cover letter in PDF format in the email. In the cover letter, you can refer to your
resume and cover letter as “Attachments.”