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About this lesson

Learn how to construct an effective cover letter for a resume.

Exercise files

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Cover letter.docx
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Quick reference

Topic

Learn how to construct an effective cover letter for a resume.

When to use

When applying for a position at a new company.

Instructions

Purpose

Typical purposes for a cover letter:

  • An opportunity to stand out
  • Will be seen first and generate interest for the accompanying resume
  • Additional space for highlights that may not fit on the resume
  • More interesting and engaging than a resume which is dryer and more factual
  • A chance to tailor the content for the job instead of following a stricter resume format

Formatting and Content

  • Follow basic business writing rules and tone for letters, and standard business letter formatting for print or emails
  • Don’ts:
    • Don’t send a form letter – personalize if at all possible
    • Don’t focus on your goals – turn the focus toward the company
    • Don’t restate what’s on your resume – instead describe actions and positive results
  • Dos:
    • Do show an interest in the position and company
    • Do state why you’d be a good and special choice for the job
    • Do personalize with an understanding of the company needs or the role
  • PROOFREAD and SPELLCHECK!
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  • 00:05 Let's continue our personal business writing with the cover letter which is the way you'll learn to
  • 00:11 expand upon your resume to make sure you're setting yourself apart from the pack
  • 00:18 A billboard is used as a concentrated format when a company can advertise its best qualities rather quickly or the most interesting features it
  • 00:28 has to advertise to people in the area when time and attention is limited.
  • 00:35 That is a lot like your cover letter for your resume. Treat your cover letter like your personal billboard in that it's your opportunity to
  • 00:46 stand out. Billboards that blend into the scenery without interesting message are pretty much a waste.
  • 00:52 With a billboard remember that people see it first so use the power of attraction to get your
  • 00:58 audience to" take the next exit" and read your resume with interest.
  • 01:03 Your cover letter gives you more space for the highlights than your resume, just like a billboard which has a lot more real estate as
  • 01:13 signage than something you we might see on a building or in a newspaper ad.
  • 01:19 Now's your chance like wiht the billboard to make your cover letter more interesting to read it's different
  • 01:25 than the standard resume, you can engage the readers
  • 01:31 with a cover letter individualization is possible. Making each resume different for every job
  • 01:38 is hard, but each cover letter can be created for a very specific purpose.
  • 01:44 You'll want to create a proper looking cover letter that meets all the etiquette rules of business communications.
  • 01:51 And we address this learning topic in full detail in Business Correspondence Basics modules. To accompany a resume you should definitely use
  • 02:01 standard business letter or business email formatting.
  • 02:08 It depends on how you'll be submitting it, but you want to add all these essential dos and don'ts when you're drafting your cover letter
  • 02:16 for example don't send a form letter. Let's keep it personalized.
  • 02:23 don't focus on your goals.
  • 02:26 YOUR goals, instead turn the focus for the company and the position that you're applying for. Write a new one for each position.
  • 02:37 And don't restate what's on your resume.
  • 02:41 At least talk about a couple of specific attributes that add to your resume or expand upon your
  • 02:46 accomplishments and relate them to this position.
  • 02:51 Now some dos, do show an interest in this position and this company. Here we see the
  • 03:00 writer is a fan and recognizes the trend this company is participating in, online education.
  • 03:08 Do state why you'd be a good and special choice for the job, the skill level that might be expected
  • 03:16 what is special about you such as your enthusiasm or industry knowledge
  • 03:20 perhaps you have a soft skill or rare personality trait...
  • 03:25 and DO personalize it any way possible.
  • 03:31 Again even a show understanding of the company's needs is a plus, the voice of experience or writing savvy.
  • 03:40 Finally, and you'll hear this often as you take the business writing course, proofreading is your friend. A simple spell check may not catch all
  • 03:48 your mistakes. So you need to take the time to proofread again
  • 03:53 or better still have someone else take a look.
  • 03:57 The simple do's and don'ts for creating your cover letter,
  • 04:00 from avoiding the form letter look and personalizing to focusing on the company's
  • 04:06 needs instead of your own goals, will help you create your own
  • 04:11 individual sort of billboard to set you apart.
  • 04:16 And preparing an interesting cover letter means you're ready to catch the eye of prospective employers so you won't get passed by.

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