Writing Your Cover Letter

Here are the belated instructions for writing a great cover letter. For this assignment:
1. Choose a job: Identify a job you would like to apply to and prepare your cover letter accordingly. This job should be one in which you might consider in the immediate or long-term future. 
2. Create a cover letter:  Create a cover letter to go with your resume. For our purposes we will create a one page cover letter in a regular business format with single-spaced paragraphs, ragged right, and double space between paragraph. (NOTE – often this cover letter becomes a basis for a supplemental online submission on a job website!)
3. Open, Body, Close: Your cover letter needs an opening, body and close.
     – Opening: Have a “hook” to interest the reader in your skills, education and expertise. 
    – Body: Include at least three bullet points which highlight your skills you can bring to a job.
    – Close: Graciously close your letter with a “call-to-action” where you ask specifically for an opportunity to interview.
4. List Seven Key Words: Often you will submit your “cover letter” as a digital entry into an application system limited to several hundred words. In many cases your cover letter and resume will be reviewed by an artificial intelligence (AI) system which will look for certain key words which are pertinent to the position you are seeking. Identify seven key words to the job you are seeking and list these seven words on the bottom of your cover letter. 
5. Brevity: Keep your letter to one page. Be gracious. Be professional. Be the candidate they would like to work with side-by-side (well – with appropriate social distance!).