Career Development and Employment Centre
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Purpose of a Cover Letter
- A cover letter is a carefully thought out, one page letter which is tailored to the specific position and company to which you are applying, whether a job was posted or not
- It should always accompany your resume
- A cover letter is a marketing tool, much like a commercial, and is used to sell yourself
- A well written cover letter should highlight your skills, experience and education as they relate to the specific position you are pursuing and entice the reader to review your resume
- A cover letter should tell a potential employer what position or type of work you are interested in and request an interview
- It is usually your first contact with a potential employer, in other words, it is the first chance you have to make a good impression
- How and what you write in a letter will tell a potential employer a great deal about your professionalism, competence and personality
- Cover letters can give you an edge because many people will not take the time to prepare one properly
- A cover letter is personalized, unlike your resume, and gives you an opportunity to really connect with your reader
Just as there are different resume formats, there are also a variety of cover letter styles to choose from
Solicited Cover Letter
- Also called the "invited letter" this is probably the most common type of letter used when job searching
- A solicited cover letter is written in response to a specific job ad, whether posted in a newspaper, on the internet or through some other form of media
- This type of letter is targeted and intended to show how your skills, experience and education fit the needs of a potential employer using examples that showcase how you have the qualifications listed in the ad
Unsolicited Cover Letter / Cold Call Letter
- This type of letter is also used to introduce your resume to a prospective employer, but is not in written in response to an advertised position
- If you have found a company that you are interested in working for, you may choose to send them your resume even if they are not advertising that they are hiring at the present time
- Over 80% of the work available is never posted or advertised, so writing an unsolicited cover letter can give you an advantage, helping you to tap this "hidden" job market
Broadcast Letter
- This is a variation of an unsolicited letter used to "mass-mail" a large number of companies with the hope of being discovered by someone in need of your talents
- It is intended as a marketing tool, and while relatively easy to put together and send out, is not nearly as effective as a personalized, targeted cover letter
- Broadcast letters are not recommended; instead follow the format for an Unsolicited Cover Letter
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