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Cover Letter

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Your Cover Letter connects your skills and experience to the specific position. Research the employer or department and tailor every letter to show why you are the right fit. For academic jobs, it is often the first thing the search committee reads.

Purpose: Synthesize and explain your experiences, skills, and qualifications to show your interest in and fit for a position and employer

Format and Appearance

  • Resources with Templates: Microsoft Word
  • Length: Usually one page (typically industry) but can be expanded to 2 pages (typically academia) depending on the position, your experiences, and employer requirements
  • Document Margins and Font: Utilize .5 ("narrow") or 1 inch margins for the document layout and basic font such as Times, Calibri, etc. with a 10-12 pt. font size
  • Easy to Read: Paragraph format 
  • Style: Adjust the look of the document based on the employer and position. A basic look is often used, but certain circumstances may merit utilizing lines, color and/or design to create a more contemporary or artistic look

Organization and Content

  • Tailored: Customized for each specific position and employer to showcase the MOST RELEVANT information
  • Clear, Concise and Organized: Focus on the employer’s needs, emphasizing skills, experiences and technical expertise that demonstrate your ability to add immediate value
  • Error-free: Proofread several times for spelling, grammar, and structure. Your advisor and a Graduate Career Consultant should review the document before you send it to prospective employers
  • Paragraph Themes: Develop clear themes within paragraphs that alight with themes from the job posting (ex. Research, Teaching, Service, Technical Knowledge...)
  • Paragraph Structure: Utilize introduction topic sentences, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence within each paragraph to create flow, clarity, and consistency 
  • Online Presence: Consider developing and including a profile link to LinkedIn, Academia.edu, and/or a professional website