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Creating Your Cover Letter
A cover letter is an important part of your job application. Use these easy instructions and click the Cover Letter Template-No Contact Person or Cover Letter Template-With Contact Person to create your cover letter.) Be sure that the heading for your resume, cover letter, and reference list are identical.
FULL NAME
Street Address, City, MI 00000
(000) 000-0000 email address@mail.com
LinkedIn (Hyperlink this phrase to your own LI profile.)
Month 00, 0000
Contact Person's Name (See notes below)
Company Name
Company Street Address
City, MI 00000
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Contact Person's Last Name:
In the opening paragraph, state the exact title of the position you are applying for and the name of the business. Mention where you saw the job posting. If you learned about the job from someone connected to the company, make sure you mention it at this point. Be sure you specify the title of your degree and your college either here or in the second paragraph. Finally, to catch the reader’s attention, check the requirements mentioned in the job posting and briefly state one or two of your skills or accomplishments that relate to those requirements here. End with a confident statement that you are a good fit for the position.
In the second paragraph, describe additional examples of your skills and accomplishments which correspond to the qualifications, requirements, and abilities that the employer expects in a candidate. Be sure to highlight specific education, work experience, and skills you possess that relate to the job description. Because Applicant Tracking Systems are often used to screen applicants’ documents, be sure to also include key words and phrases from the job description.
In the last paragraph, mention that your résumé is enclosed. Request an opportunity to discuss your qualifications with them, and give your contact information, including your email address, phone number and when you are available to talk. Demonstrate your sincere interest by again stating the exact title of the position and the name of the business somewhere in this paragraph, and give the reader one more reason to hire you. You could mention (1) something that the company is currently doing and explain how you could help the company achieve that goal or (2) a final skill or accomplishment that would enable you to contribute to the success of the department or team. Be sure to thank the employer for their consideration and express your eagerness to hear from them.
Sincerely,
Full Name
Enclosure: Résumé
NOTE #1: Be sure you research to find out the contact person’s name for each job posting. Don’t ever use “Dear Hiring Manager” or some generic term like that. If you are unable to discover the name, substitute a subject line for the salutation with the word “Subject:” and the title of the job position like this: Subject: Game Developer.
NOTE #2: If you send a printed copy of the cover letter or bring one to an interview, be sure to sign your name in the blank space below the closing.
How to Find the Name of a Hiring Manager
It is worth your time to discover the name of the hiring manager or other company contact person who will be reviewing your employment documents. Sometimes this name is provided in the job posting; other times it will take a concerted effort to find it. Here are a few strategies you can use to find the contact person’s name:
Call and ask
Find the phone number of the company or company branch and speak to a receptionist. Explain the purpose of your call. For example, “I saw your company’s job posting for a new salesperson. Can you tell me the name of the person I should address my cover letter to?”
Ask for Human Resources
If the person who receives your call is unable to help, ask to be directed to H.R. Someone in this department will likely have the answer.
Check the Company Website
You may find the name you need on the company website. Often, the company will have a listing of senior management. If not, you could discover other ways to get the information such as emailing someone in the department where you hope to work and asking who you should address your letter to.
Try Social Media
In the unlikely event you are unable to discover the contact person’s name by phone or on the company website, you may be able to find it via social media. LinkedIn in particular can be a help in discovering the name of a hiring manager. Do you have connections on LinkedIn with someone at the target company? Check with them. This kind of networking is beneficial if someone involved in the hiring process looks at your LinkedIn account—having connections in common is helpful. Don’t have connections there? Reach out to someone and ask to be in their network!