- Purdue OWL "What is a Cover Letter?" (Make sure to read through each of the six linked pages at the bottom of this page).
- Junk Cover Letters Kill Good Resumes
Begin working on your cover letters. These will be due at the end of next week.
The cover letter is one of the best ways to differentiate between yourself and other, similarly qualified candidates. Strong, clear writing is an asset in any field, and will be just as impressive as any other technical skills you may have. The best advice I can give you for the cover letter is to focus on one or two experience that you've had, either at a previous job or in your college coursework, that you think has prepared you for this new job. Generally, you would talk about this experience in the second (or body) paragraph, although the exact position may differ for each student.
Beyond that, make sure to articulate why you would like to work for this particular company. What do they do, what sorts of projects do they work on, what sorts of resources do they have, that make you excited about working for this specific company?
Another quick hint: always try to address the letter to someone specific, by their full name and title (Dear Mr. or Ms. Firstname Lastname). People who receive hundreds or thousands of applications tend to appreciate it if your materials seem tailored to their specific organization. A little web research should help you figure out who is responsible for hiring at the company you wish to work for. If not, "Dear Human Resources Director," or "Dear Hiring Committee" may do. "To Whom It May Concern" is an absolute worst case scenario.
"Dear" in these situations tends to be the most polite salutation. It does not, as some may fear, indicate that you are in love with the person you are writing to.
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