Cover Letter Checklist (continued)
CONTENT
Your address should appear first, the date follows, then the full name and
address of the employer to whom the letter is being sent.
Address the letter to someone who works within the organization. This is very
important because it almost guarantees that your letter will get into the right
hands. Generic cover letters are not effective.
If a contact name is unavailable, then use “Dear Hiring Committee:” or “Attn:
Hiring Officer:”
The introductory paragraph clearly states why you are writing the letter. For
example, “Please accept this letter as a response to the position of ________
advertised on _____________.” If this is a cold cover letter, you might want to
ask whether the company has any openings that would match your career
objective.
The middle paragraphs indicate why you are interested in that particular
position and the skills that you offer. Emphasize transferable skills and
mention relevant experience or knowledge that can easily be applied to the
position that you are applying for.
The closing paragraph thanks the employer for taking the time to look over
your application. If you are writing a cold cover letter, it is important to keep in
mind that you will be following up your application with a phone call. Let the
employer know this by including when that you will contact them.
Thank the employer for considering your application.
Your cover letter should be concluded with a closing which appears two lines
beneath the body of the letter. For example “Sincerely,”
After the closing statement, you should have 4 spaces separating your closing
statement with your printed name and signature in-between.