Foundation: Career Search

Simply put, cover letters are formal letters with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Your cover letters are an opportunity to incorporate your examples and stories that we prompted you to create throughout the Resource. Furthermore, you can tie in a company’s values and their language style in your letters too.

Additionally, your cover letters ought to include answers to:

• Why do you want this job? 
• Why do you want to work for the company?
• Can you do the job? [technical skills and knowledge]
• Can you work collaboratively with staff and stakeholders? [transferable skills]
• How do your values align with the organization (aka, how do you fit in the corporate culture)?

Here are a few basic guidelines,

• cover letters must not exceed one page,
• avoid the use of acronyms,
• do not use abbreviations, e.g., "I’m." Instead write, "I am,"
• use the same letterhead for your cover letter as your resume (for consistency and professionalism).