[MUSIC] In this lecture, we're going to uncover the cover letter. What they are, why they are important and how to write a letter to help you stand out from the crowd. Hello, my name is Tracie Thomas. As Director for Career Development at Northwestern Career Advancement, I have helped 100 of students prepare cover letters. Typically, used alongside a resume. A cover letter is a letter stating your intent to apply for a specific position within a company or organization. It tells the employer the type of position you are seeking and exactly how you are qualified for that position. Like resumes, cover letters should never, ever be generic. Cover letters should be written with the specific position and the company or organization in mind. Think of the employer as your client or customer. What does this client or customer want or need? So what are the elements of a good cover letter? In terms of format, your cover letter should be between and nine and 12 point font and be in an easy to read font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. At the top of the page, follow the format for a business letter. Include your name and address, followed by the date, followed by the name, job title, organizations name and address of the person you are writing to. The sections of a good cover letter include a Salutation, an Introductory paragraph, Middle Paragraphs that sell your value to the employer, a closing paragraph detailing next steps and a closing. Let's go through each of these sections in detail. First, the Salutation. That's the line that says, dear reader. If at all possible, address the salutation to a specific person and double check the spelling of that person's name. If you don't know the name of the intended reader, you can address the letter, dear hiring manager or dear recruiter. [MUSIC] Next is the first paragraph. The first paragraph is the readers first impression of you. You want to grab the readers attention and interest. State your reason for writing and how you learned about the organization and, or position. If someone referred you to this position, make sure you state that in the first paragraph, because these personal connections often make all the difference. Then include two to three sentences demonstrating your level of interest and knowledge about the organization. This could be writing about their services, products or something about the company that interests you. You may also choose to write about the organization's missions and values and how they relate to your personal values or background. [MUSIC] Now you are ready to write your middle paragraphs. These are your value selling paragraphs that emphasize and elaborate on your strongest qualifications and key experiences relevant to the position. This section should be to the point, but with just enough detail. Were talking one to three paragraphs with three to five sentences per paragraph. These paragraphs can describe your academic background and or work, internship or volunteer experiences. They can also detail specific achievements that make you qualified or that relate to the position to which you are applying. Most importantly, make sure that you refer to the job description for specific skills to mention and give specific examples of when you have demonstrated these skills. So for example, if the position calls for excellent patient customer service skills, write about a time when you went above and beyond for a customer that you worked with. You do not have to give an example of every skill in the job description, just the ones you feel are your strongest. Your closing paragraph is your call to action paragraph. In other words, write about the next step in the application process. Request an opportunity to interview for the position and indicate how the employer can reach you by phone and email. In this paragraph, you will also want to include a statement of appreciation. So thank the reader for his or her consideration. Your closing statement before your name should be professional. Sincerely or best regards are most often used. Some final tips. Spell check and reread your letter for spelling and grammar errors. You want to stand out, but not for spelling errors. Make sure you have someone you trust, such as a family member, academic adviser, someone you know in the field or career center professional or counselor read it over. Again, make sure to correctly spell the name of the recruiter if provided and the name of the organization. And finally, avoid a letter that is too short or too long. The letter should be at least three paragraphs, but no more than one page total. If you're sending your cover letter electronically, you may want to convert your document into a PDF to make sure it can be downloaded easily. A well written cover letter can put you well and above other candidates. Make sure you give adequate time and attention to write your cover letter, because you may be writing your way into your next job. [MUSIC]
