The simplest way to write a cover letter
The dreaded cover letter. Nobody enjoys writing cover letters. Here is a simple process to write a cover letter in minutes.
The dreaded cover letter. They make us nervous. They make us angry. They make us annoyed. Nobody enjoys writing cover letters. Here is a simple process to write a cover letter in 10 minutes.
Greeting
The first step to writing your cover letter is to address the person you are writing to. Do not write “to whom this may concern”, unless you have no idea who the cover letter is going to. You should get personal with your greeting. Dear *hiring manager’s name* is the best way to do this.
Cover Letter Paragraph #1
In the first paragraph of your cover letter, you need to answer two questions: who are you and what do you do? This is kind of like your elevator pitch. You need to briefly introduce yourself and explain what you do.
It may be helpful to check out this post about How to write an elevator pitch
Who are you?
The next part of your cover letter is to introduce yourself. Here’s what you need to include in your introduction:
My name is Austin Schlessinger and I am a senior at Rutgers Business School majoring in business analytics and information technology.
What do you do?
Explain what you do. Here’re some things you can touch on:
Last summer, I interned at KPMG in their GRC Technology Oracle practice. At KPMG, I planned and executed client engagements focusing on Oracle GRC, Oracle security, and audits of Oracle environments. Additionally, I evaluated the design and effectiveness of Oracle controls throughout the business cycle.
Cover Letter Paragraph #2
In paragraph 2, you need to answer two questions: why are you applying for this position and what qualifies you for the position.
Why are you applying for this position?
Explain the reason or reasons you are applying for the position. This can be answered in 2 different ways.
Position-specific — Are you interested in the tasks you will be expected to complete? Are you interested in the projects you will be working on?
Company-specific — Are you interested in working for the company? What about the company is appealing to you? Why do you want to work in this position at this particular company?
The main difference here is specificity. It is super important that your answer is both position-specific and company-specific. The way you answer these things could vary, but you need to address both.
For more info about how to answer this question, check out Interview Question: “Why Are You Interested in This Position?”
What qualifies you for this position?
Highlight the experiences that qualify you for the position. You can do this in the form of bullets if you want! You can even pull these right from your resume if you have some high-quality bullets. Make sure your bullets are concise, effective, and quantifiable.
Cover Letter Paragraph #3
In paragraph 3, you need to answer this question: why do you want to work for this company?
Why do you want to work for this company?
Give 2–3 reasons why you want to work for this company. Make them genuine. You really need to think! Why do I want to work here?
Closing
It’s time to wrap it up. You need to include 2 things in your closing:
Show you are excited about the opportunity to work at the company
Show that you are excited for the remainder of the application process
For example:
I am excited about the opportunity to work for Deloitte, and I look forward to the next steps in the application process!