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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Cover Letters Part 2

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What should I do before I write my cover letter? Collect information about the employer and the job opening before you start your cover letter. This information will help you write your letter. The information you collect will help you explain how your experiences can help the employer and fulfill the job requirements. To collect information, do the following:

Read the job advertisement carefully and underline important information you can use in your letter: Looking for a motivated person with a good driving record. “I am a motivated person who has a good driving record.”
Collect information about the employer/company and job. Use the Internet or speak with people who may know about the employer. Make sure you use sources you can trust
Visit the local employment office, library, or community college career center and ask about the employer and job position
If you have remaining questions about the employer or the job position, call the company and ask

What sections should my cover letter include? Your cover letter should include these sections:

Date you are writing
Your mailing address
Phone number (home, cell)
Email address
Address of the employer’s company
Greeting (a specific person if you know)
State the position you are applying for and how you heard about it
State why you believe you are a good match for the position and organization, including 2-3 experiences you will talk about in the rest of the letter (these items should come from your résumé)
Tailor the cover letter for each job application
Focus each paragraph on one experience that shows you are a good match for the job opening
Tell a story; do not just list your skills
Mention your résumé
Close with a strong reminder of why you are a good match for the job
Ask for an interview in some way
Provide your phone and email contact information again
Sign your name
Include your attachment reference about your résumé (Enclosure: John Smith Résumé

Please note that your cover letter needs to be free of spelling grammatical errors. You should also avoid using contractions: won’t, can’t, I’ll. Instead, spell out these words: Will not, cannot, I will. The following pages explain what each section should contain. Click here to download the PDF file containing sample résumés and employment letters.

Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students
Online Students
First Generation
International Students
Create a Resume / Cover Letter
Expand Your Network
Explore Your Interests / Self Assessment
Negotiate an Offer
Prepare for an Interview
Prepare for Graduate School
Search for a Job / Internship
CareerBound
Business Analytics
General Management
Human Resources Management
Integrated Business & Engineering
Supply Chain Management
Undergraduate Outcomes
Graduate Outcomes
Our Mission, Vision and Values
Undergraduate Advising Team
Graduate Advising Team
Employer Recruitment Team

Cover Letter Creation Guide

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A cover letter can be a valuable tool to provide additional context to your application beyond what you can provide in your resume. For example, you might include why you are interested in working in the industry, organization, or that particular role. A well-written cover letter can help to demonstrate your fit for the role.

FIRST PARAGRAPH OR INTRODUCTION: ACTS AS BASIS OR PURPOSE OF THE LETTER

Briefly introduce yourself (“I am a graduate student at Purdue University’s Daniels School of Business interested in…”).
Do not include your name; it is obvious who you are because you will sign the letter.
State the position for which you are applying, including position number if available and exact title.
Indicate where you learned of the opportunity or what prompted you to write.
If you are trying to set up an informational meeting to learn about the organization or trends in the field, state that you would appreciate an opportunity to talk with an organization representative about these issues.
Transition to the second paragraph with a closing sentence that may reference what qualifies you for the position, what intrigues you about the company and/or how you fit with company goals.

SECOND PARAGRAPH OR BODY: SUPPORTS YOUR CLAIMS FOR BEING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION/ORGANIZATION

Make a concise and focused case for how your experience, interests and skills fit the employer’s needs.
Thoroughly research the company or organization and position description.
Identify key words within the position description — skills and requirements — that will help you match the position and organization to your background and experiences.
Avoid merely reciting your resume but provide enough interest for the reader to want to examine your resume for detailed information on your experiences.
Emphasize contributions you can make to the position and why it is in the employer’s interest to hire you.
Do not emphasize what you will get from the position or organization.

THIRD PARAGRAPH OR CLOSING: REITERATES YOUR INTEREST IN THE POSITION/ORGANIZATION

Thank the individual for considering you as an applicant.
Provide contact information (typically both email and cell phone) even if shown in the header or at the bottom.
Demonstrate initiative by stating that you will contact the individual within a specific time period (“I will contact you the week of…to discuss the potential opportunity to interview, answer any questions he/she might have, or discuss the position in greater depth”).
Include closing sentence to express enthusiasm for company/position and that you look forward to speaking with this individual.

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