Transcript Writing Effective Cover Letters

Writing
Effective
Cover
Letters
Caroline Carpenter
[email protected]
Writing Center
http://writecenter.cgu.edu
(909) 607-0012
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Today’s Agenda
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Why write a cover letter? I hear they don’t even read them,
and I really hate writing them!
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Differences between cover letters and statements/letters of
interest
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Awesomely Bad Letters, a.k.a. What Not To Do
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Learning the process for writing a great letter or statement
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Practice and (time permitting) critique
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Why write a cover letter?

Introduces you

Explains why you are applying

Demonstrates your writing abilities
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Draws attention to specific qualifications that make you are
particularly good match for the position
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Cover letter vs. Statement of
interest
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Private sector vs. academia

Shorter vs. longer

Somewhat different content – but ultimately they aim to
complete similar functions
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Both formats should do these
things:

Demonstrate that you understand the particular needs of the
employer

Show how you meet those needs

Persuade the employer that your goals are aligned with those
of the organization
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Persuade the employer that your skills and abilities are
aligned with the position requirements
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Awesomely Bad Letters
a.k.a. What Not To Do
+ Don’t focus on what you can’t do.
Don’t be flippant.
Don’t be overly familiar.
+ Don’t write a book.
+ Especially a long book.
+
I hate myself. You should too.
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He wants to get paid.
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Don’t whine. Especially about
other employers.
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Don’t be generic.
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Who
will
read
your
letter?
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Answer:

Even if you know the person to whom the initial letter is
addressed, you have no idea who else in the organization
will see it, so you have to be very careful with your tone and
your content.
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Research Helps

Ask a lot of questions to help you figure out what you need to
know:

What values and skills would a person who is a good match for
this job have? Do I have those skills?

If I don’t have those skills, do I have skills that are similar or
equivalent?

What kind of personality do I have? Is it a good match for the
organization?

Do I have the appropriate education for the position?

What kind of work experience do I need?
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Get “Insider” Info
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Insiders include:
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Your professors
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Anyone you have met from the potential employer
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An expert in your field
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A person who holds a similar job at a different company
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Get “Outsider” Info
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Read the organization’s website

Google the organization and see what people have said
about it. Keep in mind that you may encounter extremes
(both positive and negative).

Talk to the Career Management Office. They may have a lot
of experience dealing with the employer you are
considering.
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Connect, Connect, Connect

Relate your experience to the job advertisement

Identify key words in the job posting and that you found in your
research about the organization.

Words that signal what the employer considers important of
essential in hiring for a position.

Words that give you insight into the skills, accomplishments,
personality traits, and levels of education and experience the
employer desires (or requires).
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What are some key words here?
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Senior/Lead Information Security Engineer

A top financial institution in Boston is looking for a Senior/Lead
Information Security Engineer to help build out their Information
Security Program. This is an opportunity to put your stamp on a IS
program at a leading company.

We are looking for a person with 5-10+ years of Information
Security experience with hands-on experience implementing
security solutions. The right candidate will have a strong
understanding of network and systems engineering as it relates
to security and experience with the financial services industry, as
well as the ability to create and implement IS policies/procedures
and best practices.

Knowledge of security and control frameworks such as ISO
27001/27002, COBIT, and ITIL are a major plus.

BS in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or an
equivalent field.
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
Cost Engineer – Cost Estimator – Supply Chain – Financial
Modeling


Responsibilities
 Requests vendor quotes RFQs
 Create vendor pricing comparison spreadsheet
 Negotiate pricing and terms with vendors
 Assist in new vendor identification
 Create and reconcile purchase orders and schedule for payment
 Lead planning, scheduling, and feedback communication with
vendors
Requirements
 Strong financial (cost estimation) background
 Must have financial modeling experience
 Excellent Excel skills are a must
 Must be a systems thinker and possess process experience
 Must have 2+ years of applicable financial and/or supply chain
services experience
 BS degree in Finance/Accounting or Supply Chain Management
preferred. Will consider other relevant degrees
+  Adjunct Art History Professor

The Delaware College of Art and Design, located within walking
distance of the Wilmington train station (Amtrak and SEPTA) is a
creative partnership between the Pratt Institute and the Corcoran
College of Art. Independently accredited by Middle States and
NASAD, DCAD offers the AFA in Animation, Fine Art, Graphic
Design, Illustration, Interior Design, and Photography. The
curriculum requires a three-semester survey of world art (using
Stokstad) and a corresponding three-semester survey of world
literature taught in conjunction with composition. The college is
seeking faculty to teach Art History survey courses in the summer
2014, twelve-week semester and the fifteen week Fall 2014
semester. Classes generally meet in the daytime, twice-weekly. A
doctorate is preferred but not required. Graduate training and the
ability to engage students is a must; an ABD, MA, or MS is
acceptable.
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Email letter of interest with CV to the Academic Studies Area
Coordinator ([email protected]).
+ Decide which qualities to include based on
matching the most important qualities identified in
the posting:

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

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Leadership qualities
Teaching qualities and philosophy
Ability to complete multiple tasks at the same time ("multitasking")
Teamwork skills
Ability to meet deadlines
Interpersonal skills
Initiative to complete projects without supervision ("ability to
work independently")
Written communications skills
Verbal communications skills
Computer skills
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Be specific.

Simply “name-dropping” the buzz words from the job posting
will not help you.

You must connect these terms to your specific skills and
examples of you having demonstrated these skills or
qualities in ways that led to positive results.

For example, if the job asks for strong written communications
skills, think about your experiences with writing. Have you done
any writing at a previous workplace? If so, what kind of writing?
Memos, business letters, manuals, reports? Have you taken
writing classes at college? Have you won any writing awards?
Have you undertaken a writing project in a previous job that was
particularly successful? Yielded a positive result? For example,
did you create a new training manual that made new employee
orientation take less time or require fewer training resources?
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What if you don’t meet the
requirements?

You should apply for any job you want – within reason.

Carefully consider your past experience and
accomplishments to see if they are a good match for the
employer.

Be honest with yourself and with potential employers. They
have done this hiring exercise before. They can spot liars
very easily.

Even if you make it past the hiring phase, having lied about
your skills, abilities, or experience will quickly reveal itself
when you begin working with other more experienced
employees.
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Drafting the Introduction (PS)
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The introduction should include a salutation, such as "Dear Mr. Roberts:" If you are
uncertain of your contact's gender, try to find out. Call the company. Ask the
receptionist. Try to avoid having to write a salutation that uses the person’s full name,
such as “Dear Caroline Carpenter.”
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The body of your introduction can be organized in many ways. However, it is important
to include, who you are and why you are writing. It can also state how you learned about
the position and why you are interested in it. This might be the right opportunity to
briefly relate your education and/or experience to the requirements of the position.

Many people hear of job openings from contacts associated with the company. If you
wish to include a person's name in your cover letter, make certain that your reader has a
positive relationship with the person you are naming and that the person you are
naming knows that you are naming him/her.

In some instances, you may have previously met the reader of your cover letter. In these
instances it is acceptable to use your introduction to remind your reader of who you are
and briefly discuss a specific topic of your previous conversation(s).
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Most important is to briefly overview why your values and goals align with the
organization's and how you will help them. You should also touch on how you match the
position requirements. By reviewing how you align with the organization and how your
skills match what they're looking for, you can forecast the contents of your cover letter
before you move into your argument.
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Drafting the Argument (PS)
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A very important part of the cover letter.
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Choose what to include carefully. Avoid excessive detail.
Connect back to those few most important requirements you
thought about earlier when examining the posting.
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Use your resume (and refer to it) as the evidence you will use
and expand on in this section.
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Show your reader you possess the most important skills s/he seeks
(you're a good match for the organization's mission/goals and job
requirements).
Convince your reader that the company will benefit from hiring you
(how you will help them).
Include in each paragraph a strong reason why your employer should
hire you and how they will benefit from the relationship.
Maintain an upbeat/personable tone.
Avoid explaining your entire resume but use your resume as a source
of data to support your argument (the two documents should work
together).
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Drafting the Closing (PS)
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Your closing restates your main points and reveals what you
plan to do after your readers have received your resume and
cover letter. We recommend you do the following in your
closing:
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Restate why you align with the organization's mission/goals.
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Restate why your skills match the position requirements and how
your experience will help the organization.
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Inform your readers when you will contact them.
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Include your phone number and e-mail address.
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Thank your readers for their consideration.
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Academic Cover Letter Quirks
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Academic letters are a little different from private sector
letters, but they align to the same overall goals.
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Show who you are: your values, your philosophy about education,
teaching, and research.
Show how your experiences match with what they want you to do.
Show how your education has prepared you to do what they want
you to do.
Show how you are a good fit for the culture of their institution.
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Because they are a longer piece of writing, they will also be
used to assess your written communication skills, and they
should be well-organized, cogent, and cohesive.
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They always take much longer to write than you think. Start
early. Plan to consult your faculty advisor and the Writing
Center or Career Management.
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Thank you!
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After today’s session, I will email this powerpoint to all
session participants who signed in and provided an email
address.
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You can visit the Writing Center (http://writecenter.cgu.edu)
or make an appointment with the Career Management Office
(http://careers.cgu.edu) for help with cover letters.

If you are planning to work in academia, the Preparing Future
Faculty program can help you enormously: teaching
philosophy statements, syllabus development, classroom
management, and much, much more, including a certification
showing your commitment to a career as an educator.
http://www.cgu.edu/pff