How To Write a

How to Write a

COVER LETTER

By Eric R. Anderson

Provided by Capital University Career Development

Blackmore Library, Second Floor ~ 614-236-6606

WEB: www.capital.edu/CareerDevelopment

EMAIL: [email protected]

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

UNDERSTANDING COVER LETTERS........................................................................... 3

TWO MAIN TYPES OF COVER LETTERS

Letter of Application ...................................................................................................... 4

Use when applying for an advertised job opening

Basic Example .......................................................................................................... 4

Letter of Application Content ................................................................................. 5-6

Format Rules and Digital Signature ..................................................................... 7-8

Follow-up Letter ...................................................................................................... 9

Use when you haven’t yet heard from the employer

Example with a sample job posting ................................................................... 10-13

Letter of Inquiry ...................................................................................................... 14-18

Use when applying for jobs that are not advertised

Letter of Inquiry Content .......................................................................................... 14

Examples .......................................................................................................... 16-18

ADVANCED COVER LETTERS

With experience, you can try this less structured format ....................................................... 19

SENDING COVER LETTERS

Emailing (attaching) and Uploading cover letters & resumes ......................................... 20

U N D E R S T A N D I N G C O V E R L E T T E R S

A COVER LETTER…

• Is always included with emailed, online, or mailed résumés. It is NOT used when

you “show up” in person with your résumé, whether in someone’s office or at a job

fair. In those cases, YOU are your cover letter; you’ll say the same information out

loud. It would be weird for them to read the letter while you stand there.

• Highlights specific information from your resume and background that applies to a

specific posted position (see letter of application p. 4) or a specific “possibly open”

(but not posted) position (letter of inquiry, p. 14).

STEPS for WRITING a STANDARD LETTER OF APPLICATION

Most of the time, you will be writing a letter to apply for a job or internship that has a

written position description from a job/internship posting outlining the responsibilities

and qualifications of that job or internship. When writing a letter in this situation,

follow these steps:

1. Use this booklet to gain a better understanding of the general content and format

of your cover letter.

2. Read through your job/internship posting so you know the qualifications and

responsibilities of the position.

3. Compare the job/internship position description to your resume to determine the

qualifications you have that match the position qualifications.

4. Write your letter. Be sure to format your letter using the examples.

5. Drop by our office or schedule an appointment so we can review your cover letter

with you before you submit it for your job/internship application.

ALSO REMEMBER: CUSTOMIZE EVERY COVER LETTER

• Always write a personalized cover letter for each job.

• Customize your “sales pitch,” linking your experience, demonstrated skills, course

work, and accomplishments to the specific requirements (or job duties) of the

open position that are revealed in the job posting.

L E T T E R O F A P P L I C A T I O N :

BASIC EXAMPLE

March 14, 2024

Peter Kirkpatrick

Director of Personnel

Ernst & Young

Huntington Center, Suite 2000

41 South High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

Dear Peter Kirkpatrick,

I am applying for your Auditor position that was advertised on Handshake.

I will graduate from Capital University in May with a Bachelor of Arts

degree in Accounting.

My background includes both accounting experience and leadership skills.

During my junior and senior years at Capital, I have worked as a student

accountant in the University Bookstore. In addition, I have held leadership

positions in Student Government and within the residence halls as a

Resident Assistant. Please see my attached resume for a more complete

view of my background.

I am eager to learn more about this opportunity with Ernst & Young and

look forward to interviewing with you. I can be reached at 614-236-0000 or

ccollege@capital.edu. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Chris M. College

attachment

Date

Page 7

Employer name

and address

Page 5

Salutation

Page 5

First

paragraph:

Introduction

Page 5

Second

paragraph:

Relevant

experience

to position

applying for

Page 6

Third

paragraph:

Contact info

and closing

Page 6

Refers to

additional

documents

sent with

cover letter

such as

resume,

references,

etc.

Page 7

Closing,

name,

signature

Page 7

L E T T E R O F A P P L I C A T I O N : C O N T E N T

Remember that you are responding to a posted job position in this letter. That will guide some of your

text. Make sure that you comment on specific qualifications that are listed in the advertisement.

THE EMPLOYER'S ADDRESS, NAME AND SALUTATION

With advertised openings, you will sometimes be instructed to send your information to an office, or a

title, such as the Director of Human Resources. In this case, you need not find the name of the

individual to whom you are writing. You can address the letter to "Dear Director," or "Dear Human

Resources Department," or you can simply omit the salutation (Dear_______,) from the letter.

Still, if you are provided the name of the appropriate person, it is easier. Note that if the gender of the

person is unclear, your salutation should omit the Mr. or Ms. title (i.e., “Dear Shannon Kirkpatrick,”).

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH

Length: Two or three sentences.

Content: This brief paragraph introduces who you are and why you are writing to the employer.

• Identify the position for which you are applying and indicate how you heard about the opening

(website, contact person, etc.).

• Make clear why the position is interesting to you and why you are qualified (Are you graduating?

Is your major related to the position? Do you have relevant experience? Is this position a good

transition for you in job-level or location?).

For example (if the position relates to your major, and you’re not a graduating senior):

1. I am applying for your part-time sales position which was posted on Handshake. I am currently

a sophomore, and am majoring in Marketing.

Or, if the position relates to your major, and you ARE a graduating senior:

2. I am applying for your Management Trainee position which was posted on Handshake. You

indicate a need for a recent graduate with a background in business and sales. I will graduate

in May with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, and I have held part-time sales

positions throughout college.

3. During the last two years, my editing position with our school newspaper has provided me with

experience related to the Proofreader position which was advertised on your company website. I

will graduate from Capital University in May with a Bachelor's degree in English, and I plan to

enter the field of publishing.

If the position doesn't relate to your major, but you have related employment experience, you

will refer to your experience instead of your degree:

4. I am applying for your Customer Service Representative position which was advertised on

LinkedIn. I have one year of customer service experience, and am interested in working within

the insurance field.

5. I am interested in the Loan Officer position with Orgo-gro. Mark Muggli, an analyst with your

company, recently informed me of two openings in this division. I have two years of experience

in banking, including significant exposure to loans and mortgages.

THE SECOND PARAGRAPH

Length: Three to five sentences.

Content: In this paragraph, you will emphasize a match between the skills you possess and those

which are required by the employer. Use the job posting to guide your writing and include:

• Your qualifications for the position, as they relate to those listed by the employer. These

qualifications will probably be a combination of your education and your work experience,

so you will probably refer to current or previous employment, specific courses, aspects of

jobs or internships, etc., that relate to this position or are listed in the qualifications.

• If there's a long list of qualifications, you don't need to mention every single one. You

might write something like, "I have developed a range of communication, technical, and

administrative skills during my three internships." Or you might even begin with a

statement like, "My background includes experience related to all of the qualifications

listed in your position description."

• Make some reference to your attached or enclosed resume (pay attention to whether you

are attaching through email or enclosing through US Mail). Some options are:

1. My attached resume will give you a better view of my skills and abilities.

2. Please see my enclosed resume for more information.

3. Please see my attached resume for a more complete view of my background and qualifications.

If you have both academic qualifications and career-related work experience, you may want to separate

this paragraph into two paragraphs. By doing this, you can focus on each of these subjects individually.

THE THIRD PARAGRAPH

Length: Two or three sentences.

Content: This is the paragraph in which you tell the employer how to get in touch with you, and thank

the person for taking time to consider your application. Some examples are:

1. Should you need additional information, you can reach me at 614-236-5000 or jsmith@capital.edu.

Thank you for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you soon.

2. I am available for an interview during (list dates or months or whenever you are available). You

can reach me at (614) 555-1212 from 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. I look forward

to hearing from you.

3. I believe that my student teaching experience and academic background will be a benefit to the

Wellington School. Should you need additional information, you can reach me at (614) 555-1234.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

“ATTACHMENT” VS. “ENCLOSURE"

Usually you send a cover letter along with your resume, and sometimes you may have additional

documents to send (such as a list of references, reference letters, writing samples, etc.). The word

“attachment” at the bottom of the letter is used to indicate there is a document (or documents) you are

sending with your cover letter.

When sending your documents…

By EMAIL or ONLINE APPLICATIONS: Use the word “attachment” or “attachments.”

(rarely) By MAIL: Use the word “enclosure” or “enclosures” at the bottom of your letter

When sending:

• Only your resume and cover letter, write: attachment OR enclosure

• When there are more documents than your resume, indicate the number of documents you

are sending in addition to your cover letter.

For example, if you send your resume and list of references, write: “attachments (2)” OR

“enclosures (2).”

FORMAT: THE DATE & THE CLOSING

When writing a standard cover letter, the date (on the

top) and your “closing” (near the bottom of the letter)

should both be about two-thirds of the way across the

page, like the example to the right.

To do this, start by typing the date and “closing” text on

the left margin of the page.

Then, use the indent button or the “Tab” key to move

the date over about two-thirds across the page. Do this

again to move your “closing” across the page.

Make sure that you align both the date and your closing

to the same point on the page.

The date is

aligned like this

Your “closing”

is aligned to the

same point

SIGNING COVER LETTERS

You don't need to sign the letter between “Sincerely” and your typed name, but it’s simple to add

the signature in the Word document with your iPad and Apple Pencil, and then convert to a PDF.

If you have the time, it’s a good idea. It can make you look different from other candidates.

Create the signature for an emailed cover letter using your iPad

OPEN YOUR COVER LETTER IN WORD

• You’ll need to use the official version of Word that allows editing on your iPad. You have

access to this version through your Capital account.

SELECT “DRAW” FROM THE OPTIONS ON THE TOP OF THE SCREEN

• Choose your “pen”

• Select width and color

• Make sure there is space for a signature between “Sincerely” and your typed name

• Sign your name using your Apple Pencil

EXPORT YOUR CHANGES TO PDF

• Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen

• Select Export, and choose PDF

L E T T E R O F A P P L I C A T I O N : F O L L O W U P

If you respond to an advertised opening, you can expect to wait anywhere from a week to more than a

month for a response. Why? Human Resource departments are very busy, and sometimes things get

put on the back burner.

By the second week, you're feeling as if no one likes you and you're wondering if you should call to

inquire about the status of your file. In general, resist the temptation to call. There are hundreds of

resumes along with yours, and if each of those people called, it would get annoying. An exception

might be the fields of sales and journalism, in which you are expected to be more aggressive in your

approach. Some sales recruiters say that they only consider those who persistently call!

Instead, you might want to send a follow-up email or letter. This type of correspondence is appropriate

in two circumstances:

1. If something new came up (like you'll be gone for a while and won't be able to interview during

that time).

2. If you simply want to remind them that you are still interested, without being pushy. It's a nice

way of ensuring that they received your resume and cover letter while giving them a positive

impression of you.

Send an email or letter that sounds something like this:

Date

Lars Holte

Director of College Recruitment

Midwest Lefse Commission

235 Krumkake Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43221

Dear Lars Holte,

I mailed a resume and cover letter to you on July 20.

I am still very interested in the Marketing Assistant

position.

If you would like any additional information, or if you

have any questions, please call me at 614-555-7896. I

look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,

(Sign your name)

Your Name

MAILED LETTER

L E T T E R O F A P P L I C A T I O N W R I T I N G

P R O C E S S : A P R A C T I C A L E X A M P L E

Here’s how your letter of application develops:

Use job posting to figure out key

qualifications and responsibilities the

position requires.

Compare those key

qualifications/responsibilities to the

experiences you have on your résumé.

Write your cover letter to explain how your experiences

meet the position’s requirements and responsibilities.

See a real

example of how a

position

description and

resume can be

used to write a

great cover letter

C O V E R L E T T E R W R I T I N G P R O C E S S :

STEP 1: READ THROUGH THE POSITION DESCRIPTION AND

UNDERLINE PORTIONS THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR SKILLS

Kohl’s Product Management Intern (Menomonee Falls, WI)

Kohl’s Position Description

As a Product Management intern you will have the opportunity to work

within the Product Development Office, learning all aspects of a

corporate private brand merchandising career.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Learning Kohl’s culture and market position

• Understanding the Product Development process as it relates to

buying, design and sourcing

• Considering marketplace factors-including climates, trends, assortments and regional locations and

incorporating these needs into the merchandise line

• Using competitive shopping as a tool to analyze trends, pricing and assortments of various retailers

• Managing a time and action calendar to ensure product development milestones and deadlines are

maintained

• Collaborating with color, trend, cad artists, technical and design teams, sourcing, merchants, and

other support teams to create a private brand merchandise assortment

• Following the entire private brand development process, from concept to finished product

• Analyzing the results with retail sales information and reporting systems

• Learning line building techniques, sales forecasting, gross margin planning and merchandising

concepts

• Communicating with overseas vendors for merchandise integrity

• Shadowing a product manager to learn the tasks they complete on a day by day basis

• Developing a final project by researching a specific area or opportunity within the Product

Development department

• Presenting final project to members of your department

FORWARD COVER LETTER; RESUME; & PORTFOLIO IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:

9/6/15 Kent State University Mail-INTERNSHIP: KOHL'S-Product Management (Menomonee Falls, WI)

JDOE_KOHLSPM.PDF–COVER LETTER & RESUME

JDOE_KOHLSPM.PDF–PORTFOLIO

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills

• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Ability and drive to develop retail business knowledge

• Ability to work as a part of a team and interact effectively with others

Internship Experience

• Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• 10-week Paid Internship

• Training Classes

• Senior-Level exposure

• Final Project

• Summer Housing provided

• Transportation to and from work provided

• Sponsored events to show you Milwaukee

Through her well-

written cover letter,

Kimberly demonstrates

her verbal and written

communication skills.

Read Kimberly

Student’s cover letter on

the next page to see how

she directly connects her

previous experience with

these underlined

portions of the position

description.

STEP 2: MAKE SURE YOUR RÉSUMÉ REFLECTS YOUR COVER LETTER

(WITHOUT SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOUR COVER LETTER SAID)

Kimberly Student

KStudent@capital.edu

(614) 555-1212

OBJECTIVE

An internship in retail product management

EDUCATION

Capital University, Columbus, Ohio

Bachelor of Arts, May 2024

Major: Leadership & Management

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Sales and Floorset Associate, June 2022-Present

THE LIMITED, Columbus Ohio

• Assist in merchandise selection

• Ensure customer satisfaction

• Target and review daily sales goals

• Develop visual floor set displays

Merchandising and Sales Intern, Academic year 2020-21

WHOLLY CRAFT

• Arranged window and visual merchandising displays

• Assessed inventory

• Contributed to product development

• Assisted with trade shows

• Launched final craft marketing project

Design and Merchandising Intern, Academic year 2019-20

LOCAL DESIGNER, AMY D

• Assisted in sewing designers’ products

• Packaged designer’s merchandise, delivered by strict deadlines

• Collaborated with potential carriers about quantity of products wanted in store

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Secretary and Event Assistant, Academic year 2021-2022

THE HILLEL AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

• Assisted and arranged visual displays for Hillel events

• Completed daily office tasks

Technology Camp Participant/Intern, Summers 2018 and 2019

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• Learned about web development, computer programming, and software use

• Participated in web design contest as appointed group leader

• Launched website for Bethany Presbyterian Church located in Columbus, Ohio

SPECIAL SKILLS

Bilingual (Spanish)

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft Office

Kimberly emphasizes

relevant experience to

the position in this

section of her résumé.

She also does not use

the same wording of

her responsibilities in

her cover letter as she

does for her bullet

points in her résumé.

Notice in her cover

letter on the next page,

Kimberly does not

mention every position

she’s had – that’s okay!

She highlights her most

relevant experience and

indicates that her

resume provides more

information on

additional experiences.

STEP 3: WRITE YOUR LETTER – BE SURE TO CONNECT YOUR

EXPERIENCE TO THE POSITION DESCRIPTION

March 14, 2024

Jane Doe

Human Resources Director

Kohl’s Corporate

N56 W17000 Ridgewood Drive

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051

Dear Jane Doe,

I am writing to express my interest in your product management summer internship

position. Kent State’s internship program manager, Hillary Stone recently informed me

about the opening. I am currently a junior majoring in business at Capital University.

During the last two years, my employment and internship experiences have exposed me

to several aspects of the retail industry. These experiences, ranging from pricing and

assessing inventory to sewing apparel, have allowed me greater involvement in the

industry. In particular, through my experience as a floor set associate at The Limited, I

have viewed the entire development process from merchandising to sales. I have also

learned about collaborative team sales analysis at The Limited, where we wirelessly

discuss strategies to ensure that our clients’ store experience is excellent. The

collaboration continues after every two-hour segment, when the sales team meets

together, critically evaluating the results of our customer interactions and reviewing our

sales goals. These experiences, along with my experiences in additional work

environments, have allowed me to participate in a range of roles, and I would like to

expand my skills further while working for Kohl’s Corporate.

For a more complete view of my merchandise and retail experience, I have attached my

resume. I am excited about the possibility of working for Kohl’s over the summer. I am

ready for new challenging opportunities that can help me grow professionally and

personally. Should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to reach

me at (614) 555-1212 or by e-mail at kstudent@capital.edu. I am available for an

interview at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Student

attachment

Note the highlighted

phrases that address

parts of the position

description for which

Kimberly is qualified.

L E T T E R O F I N Q U I R Y

Purpose: In this type of letter, you inquire about the possibility of available positions. Since you are not

responding to an advertisement, the first paragraph will not make reference to one, as it did in the letter

of application. Instead you will want to refer to what has prompted you to write the letter - an article you

have read in the paper, someone you have talked with in the field, personal knowledge that the

company hires people with your qualifications, etc... The second paragraph will probably take on a

slightly more general tone, since you will not be responding to specific listed qualifications. Finally, you

will need to be more assertive in your approach. This is most obvious in the last paragraph.

NOTE: In most cases, this type of letter will be used when someone has referred you or if you know

there is a job available through your networking or research. This is not to be used for a mass mailing

of letters and resumes.

Format: The basic pieces of the letter of inquiry are the same as a letter of application:

• The date

• The employer’s name and title (if provided), organization, and address

• A greeting line (Dear ______,)

• Three paragraphs

• A closing with your name

• Indication of any attachments or enclosures

THE EMPLOYER'S NAME

In a letter of inquiry, you should ALWAYS use a specific person's name. You'll call that person later,

and you will have to ask for him or her. It is easy to get the name and title of the person to whom you

should send your resume and cover letter, if you don’t already have the employer’s name.

You will have the most success if you call the main number for the company or organization and ask

the person who answers the phone if he or she can give you the name (gender pronouns, if necessary)

and title of the person to whom you would direct a letter regarding possible employment. Also ask for

the spelling of the person's name.

You can also try to find the person’s name by searching on LinkedIn.

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH

Length: Three to four sentences.

Content: Instead of mentioning an advertisement, you will explain briefly why you are interested in

working for this company and what has prompted your letter. These statements are important, as they

provide the best opportunity for you to personalize the letter. In this paragraph you should explain:

• What position(s) you are applying for.

• Why they should consider you.

• What has prompted you to write the letter.

• Why you are interested in working for them.

• You may want to mention your current educational status, and month/year of

graduation and/or if you already have experience in the field here.

First Paragraph Examples:

1. I am writing to inquire about social work positions with the Franklin County Mental Health Board.

I recently read an article in the Columbus Dispatch which indicated that you are seeking to

establish several treatment teams to assist the mentally ill in managing their lives. I am excited

about the possibility of securing one of these positions, because I am extremely interested in

working with this population.

2. During a recent conversation with Professor Joe Fasby, my faculty advisor in the

Accounting department at Capital University, we discussed the possibility of several

upcoming openings for auditors at Ernst & Young. Professor Fasby has worked for Ernst &

Young in the past and feels that my education and experience would make me a good

match for this type of position. I will graduate from Capital University in May with a Bachelor

of Arts degree in Accounting.

THE SECOND PARAGRAPH

Length: Three to five sentences.

Content: This can be the same as the second paragraph in the letter of application (see page 6). The

difference is that you are not responding to the qualifications of a specific position opening. Rather, you

are giving the reader a general overview of your background. You are telling the reader what you think

she or he wants to hear about you, based on the nature of the positions for which you are expressing

an interest.

THE THIRD PARAGRAPH

Length: Two to three sentences.

Content: This paragraph becomes more assertive than the third paragraph in the letter of application

(see page 6). You must contact the person to whom you are writing the letter, since there is a very

small chance that this person will rush to call you immediately after receiving your letter and resume.

Examples:

1. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss these positions with you. I will call during the week

of April 10 to inquire further. If this is inconvenient, you can reach me by calling 614-555-2324

after 6:00 p.m. or by e-mail at college@gmail.com. Thank you for your consideration.

2. I look forward to discussing summer internship opportunities with you. I can be reached at 614-

555-2324. If I do not hear from you by February 8, I will call you to follow up on my interest.

These examples might seem pushy or forward to you. They might have been considered pushy if you

indicated the date and time that you expected the person to be available for your phone call, but you're

not doing that. Instead, you're providing a time frame, as well as an alternative to talking with you.

That's being polite, not pushy.

L E T T E R O F I N Q U I R Y :

EXAMPLE (Part One)

(Written as a response to the newspaper article below:)

GRANTS WILL HELP COUNTY'S MENTALLY ILL

Grants totaling about $1.2 million will help expand a program for

county residents with severe and long-term mental illness, the

Franklin County Mental Health Board said yesterday.

The board received $825,472 from the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation of Princeton, N.J., and $383,786 from the Ohio

Department of Health.

An estimated 6,000 people in Franklin County suffer severe and

long-term mental illness.

The Mental Health Board serves 525 through a program in which

treatment teams help people manage their lives. The board has

eight teams. It wants 32 teams of 3,000 more patients, board

chair Pat Groseck said.

Teams are composed of nurses, social workers, and experts in

medical benefits and housing.

Notice in the

cover letter on

the next page

the reference

to this portion

of the article.

L E T T E R O F I N Q U I R Y :

EXAMPLE (Part Two)

March 15, 2024

Mary Sidewinder

Office of Community Treatment

Franklin County Mental Health Board

447 East Broad Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Dear Mary Sidewinder,

I am writing to inquire about social work positions with the Franklin County Mental

Health Board. I recently read an article in The Columbus Dispatch which indicated

that you are seeking to establish a number of treatment teams to assist the mentally ill

in managing their lives. I am excited about the possibility of securing one of these

positions, because I am extremely interested in working with this population.

My combination of formal education (a Bachelor of Social Work degree) and

extensive practical experience will enable me to be a productive member of your

treatment team. My studies at Capital University provided me with a strong working

knowledge of the social work field. My experience at Volunteer's Express has given

me the opportunity to teach life management skills to clients. Please see my resume

for further details concerning my additional social work experience.

Again, I am very interested in working for the Franklin County Mental Health Board,

and I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss these positions with you. I will call

you next week to inquire further. If this is inconvenient, you can reach me by calling

614-555-4836 after 6:00 p.m. or by e-mail at jformi[email protected]. Thank you for

your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Julie Formica

attachment

L E T T E R O F I N Q U I R Y :

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLE

(Written as a response to a conversation with a faculty member.)

March 15, 2024

Peter Kirkpatrick

Director of Personnel

Ernst & Young

Huntington Center, Suite 2000

41 South High Street

Columbus, OH 43215-6150

Dear Peter Kirkpatrick,

During a recent conversation with Professor Joe Fasby, my faculty advisor in the

Accounting department at Capital University, we discussed the possibility of

several upcoming openings for auditors at Ernst & Young. Professor Fasby has

worked for Ernst & Young in the past and feels that my education and experience

would make me a good match for this type of position. I will graduate from Capital

University in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting.

Professor Fasby has told me that your organization values both practical

experience and leadership skills. During my junior and senior years at Capital, I

have worked as a student accountant in the University bookstore. In addition, I

have held leadership positions in the Student Government and within the

residence halls as a Resident Assistant. Please see my attached resume for a

more complete view of my background.

I am very interested to learn more about these positions at Ernst & Young and

look forward to the possibility of interviewing with you. I will contact you next week

to inquire further. If this is inconvenient for you, you can reach me by phone at

614-236-0000 or by e-mail at ccollege@capital.edu. Thank you for your time and

consideration.

Sincerely,

Chris M. College

attachment

A D V A N C E D C O V E R L E T T E R S :

After you’ve written a few standard cover letters, consider this more conversational style.

March 14, 2024

Gail Giga

Recruiting Coordinator

Information Technology Department

1234 Hard Drive

New York, New York 10004

Dear Gail Giga,

I am a senior at Capital University in Ohio majoring in Computer Science with a minor in

Accounting. I am interested in interviewing for an Information Technology (IT) Analyst

position at Goldman, Sachs. Having spoken with a former Goldman Analyst, read your

brochures and visited your web site, I believe that Goldman, Sachs is the right global

investment bank for me.

I am interested in an IT Analyst position because I have really enjoyed my internship at

the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC), where, for the last year, I have been

the only intern at the 17-person IT department that provides computer support to over

2000 in-house customers. My additional course work in accounting and finance has

exposed me to concepts of financial services, an area to which I now want to apply my

computer-related skills.

With an analytical, yet service-oriented, background that includes working 40 hours

every week while carrying a full course-load, I want to be an IT Analyst at Goldman,

Sachs for two reasons. First, your ‘technology is the business’ idea appeals to me since

I too value IT work not as a backstage operation but as a very important team-based

part of Goldman’s business. Second, in my spare time, along with colleagues and

friends, I want to pursue community service in the New York area.

Ms. Giga, having seriously thought about being an IT Analyst in general and at

Goldman, Sachs in particular, I would very much enjoy speaking with you further about

the possibility of my being considered for an interview.

I have attached a copy of my resume and my transcript. I will call you soon to follow-up

on this letter. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Chip Cobol

attachments (2)

S E N D I N G C O V E R L E T T E R S

E-MAILING and UPLOADING YOUR LETTER & RESUME

E-mail subject line

Make sure that your subject line will make the employer want to read your email (and not delete it!). This is

especially true for the letter of inquiry; in this case, you might want to use the name of the person who

referred you (e.g., “Steve Mellum referred me”). Otherwise, you might include the name of the position (e.g.,

“Public Relations Intern application”).

Attach your cover letter (DON’T send it in the body of the email)

The employer will often print your cover letter or will want to save it in a document folder.

If it’s in the body of the email, the formatting will look ugly, and create more work for the employer.

Document format

When sending your resume and cover letter by email or uploading them for an online application, attach as a

PDF (convert from Word, Google Docs, Pages, or Canva). Don’t send a link to your Google Doc; it’s

inconvenient for the employer.

Name your documents correctly:

Instead of sending your resume as “resume.pdf”, you should use your name in the document name (e.g.,

DaveStudent-resume.pdf). Name your resume file FOR YOUR AUDIENCE, not for you. Same for your cover

letter.

Option: send as one document:

Create one PDF that contains both your resume and cover letter. Open your cover letter PDF in Adobe and

select “Combine Files” from the tools listed on the right side. Then just add your resume PDF and combine.

Save your new combined document with a new name.

Body of email

Regardless of the format of attached documents, in the body of the e-mail write a brief note like: