Cover Letter Template printable pdf download

COVER LETTERS

NIVERSITY OF

HICAGO

B. H

RVING

ARRIS

CHOOL OF

UBLIC

OLICY

Chicago Harris Career Development

Effective Cover Letters

This Career Development Guide (CDG) provides basic information regarding drafting a cover

letter. Students are invited to have their cover letter(s) reviewed by a counselor in the Career

Development Office (CDO). However, be sure to plan ahead and give yourself time to make

necessary changes well in advance of any deadlines. Visit HarrisLink

(https://harris-uchicago-

today to make an appointment with your CDO counselor!

Introduction

The cover letter is a supplemental document to the resume that provides a crucial opportunity to

highlight a candidate’s qualifications to an employer. The letter serves as a measure of your

writing skills, ability to present a case for yourself, and familiarity with the company’s needs.

The primary goals of a cover letter include:

1. Introduction and pitch for why you are the right candidate for a position

2. Highlighted qualifications targeted to the position

3. Motivation/context for why the position is a good match for you

II.

Preparing Effective Cover Letter Content

Step One: Highlighting Key Accomplishments from Resume

Keep it short. Cover letters should not exceed one page. A concise letter demonstrates your

focus and ability to communicate succinctly. Do not simply restate the information in your

resume. Instead, cite particular accomplishments and attributes that would be of special interest

to the employer. Illustrate that you have the skills, knowledge, and experience an employer

seeks.

If transitioning to a new field as a graduate student, the cover letter provides an additional

opportunity to highlight your transferable skill sets. Assess your most proficient skills, interests,

and industry-specific knowledge. If you have not already, complete and review the

Skill

Identification

results with a CDO counselor. You may have gained valuable and relevant

Fall 2011

Please n otify J andi K elly ( Jandi@uchicago.edu) w ith u pdated/additional i nformation.

Cover Letter Template