OFFICE OF CAREER & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Writing a Cover Letter!
!
Updated 8/14
!
!
Why do you have to write cover letters?
Cover letters serve several purposes. They are NOT simply a paragraph version of your
resume. In your cover letter, you are matching your experience, knowledge and skills to the
needs of the employer, and conveying your interest in working for them.
This portrays your understanding of their needs and how you can address them.
Form cover letters do not accomplish this goal, so take the time to tailor each cover letter to the
specific employer. Secondly, the cover letter serves as a sample of your writing ability. Hence,
having a well-written and free of typographical and grammatical errors is essential.
When do I send one?
Your cover letter should accompany your resume whenever you do not. If you are attending a
career fair, a cover letter is not necessary. Instead, a follow up email is recommended.
Is there a set length?
With the exception of faculty positions, cover letters should never exceed one page. Cover
letters for faculty positions can exceed that limitation if it includes your research areas and
teaching interests.
What is the typical format?
A cover letter is a professional correspondence, so it should be formatted as such.
It should lead with your address (or your header), the date, recipient title, name and address.
Your salutation should be followed with a colon rather than a comma. Standard professional
letter format also includes the word Enclosure (if mailing) or Attachment (if emailing) at the
bottom of the letter to indicate that your resume is included.
Who do I make the letter out to?
Do your homework. If no contact person is included in the job listing, do research online to
determine who the position reports to or telephone the main line of the employer and ask who
you should direct the letter to. (Do not call the employer if they state no phone calls) If you are
unable to find a specific person’s name, address your letter to a relevant title (i.e. Dear Human
Resources Manager: or Dear Search Committee: or Dear Clinical Director:).
What’s the best way to submit my resume and cover letter?
Follow the employer’s instructions. If the employer provides several options
(i.e. email, hard mail, fax, etc.), select the one that is best for you. Keep in mind email and fax
arrive immediately, so these are the best modalities. If emailing, you have two options - you can
place your cover letter in the body of the email or include a brief email message with your cover
letter and resume attached. If an employer requests no attachments and you want to email your
materials, copy and paste both into the body of your email. If attachments are permitted, often
times, attaching your cover letter and your resume as PDFs is a better approach.
It enables you to keep the email message brief, but professional.
A sample message with documents attached may be written as:
Dear Ms. Smith: