Microsoft Word - WRITING EFFECTIVE FW COVER LETTERS

WRITING EFFECTIVE COVER LETTERS (aka Letters of Interest)

Key concepts

 It should convince the employer that you are the best match for the job. Make the letter so compelling that the employer

can’t resist wanting to interview you.

 Always research the employer, position, project and supervisor so you can show why you are the best person for the job.

Call with questions or use web site(s), journals, faculty or other sources (e.g. a friend who has worked for them).

The more

you know about the position or the supervisor, the better you will be able to sell yourself.

 Rewrite your cover letter to match each job announcement.

 Always send a cover letter with a resume.

 Don’t repeat your resume; instead highlight skills or information about you that may not be apparent in the resume or

expand on points that are particularly relevant to this job.

 Address your letter to a named individual if at all possible.

 Tell what you can do for the organization, not what it can do for you.

 Be enthusiastic.

 Highlight accomplishments and what they meant to you (“I was proud of my team which surveyed more miles than any

other group” instead of “as my resume shows, my team surveyed 10 miles of stream”)

 Proof-read! Spell check won’t pick up all errors. Have someone else proof-read also.

 Your writing skills, or lack thereof, can make or break you.

 Read your letter aloud to check for awkward sentence structure.

 Include information about your extracurricular activities if you can show transferable skills (‘I am an avid hunter and

frequently navigate to remote sites using a map and compass’ or ‘I am an avid nature photographer and could set up

permanent photo points to document your restoration projects’)

 Make every word count; remove all wordy phrases such as “in order to”.

 Shorten long sentences into two sentences. Break long paragraphs into two.

 Use active voice and strong verbs (“I adapted my experience from field sampling class to develop a better survey

technique” instead of “my experience from field sampling classes was used to develop a better survey technique”)

 Don’t start every sentence or paragraph with “I”

 Write so that it sounds like you and shows your personality.

Format: One page, 3-5 paragraphs.

Top: Your address, their address, date and salutation (Dear Ms. Jones,)

First paragraph: Open with a simple, creative statement that ‘hooks’ their interest. Use this paragraph to briefly introduce

yourself. Identify the job (job title, announcement number, etc.) or type of work (e.g. Stream Surveyor, Port Sampler). You

might include information on how you heard of the job, dates you are available to work…

Middle paragraph(s): Tell them why you are right for this job. Describe relevant work, school, volunteer or life experience

(e.g. grew up in area, spent every weekend fishing for past year) without repeating your resume. Most skills, abilities and

strengths emphasized in your cover letter should be different from those in your resume. Describe how you would be a

valuable addition to the team. Tell them what makes you different from every other student. Include a discussion of your

relevant courses only if specific coursework was required, your coursework was unusual or you have limited work experience

and can describe your courses in terms of the transferable and applicable skills you learned. Include a discussion of your

non-professional work if you can describe it in terms of the transferable and applicable skills you learned (“as a waitress I

learned to remain organized and professional under pressure”).

Explain why you want this job or want to work for this employer/organization/person. Focus on why you think the

job/project is important in terms of conservation or management instead of why it’s important to you. Be as specific as

possible so you demonstrate your knowledge of the job or organization and indicate your respect for the work or the

organization (note accomplishments, history, status, or leaders). You might include how this job fits your academic/career

goals.

Final paragraph: End on a positive but assertive note that puts you in control and insures that you communicate with the

employer again. You want to contact them instead of waiting for them to contact you (e.g. “I will call you next week to

answer any questions you may have; in the meantime, you may reach me at 999-9999” or “ I will contact you on Monday to

set a time we can meet.”). Always follow-up as you said you would. Always thank them considering you and/or your

application.

Bottom: Use a standard closing (“Sincerely,”). Type and sign your name (bold, confident, legible signature). Indicate

“enclosures” so they don’t lose your resume.

show your

interest &

research

effort

show you

value job,

not just

what job

does for

take initiative

to follow up

write to a particular person

confident

unusual

opening

sentence

Jason Junior

University Boulevard

Corvallis OR 97331

Sandy Smith

State Department of Fish and Wildlife

Agency OR 99999

September 26, 2007

RE: Stream Surveyor position, Hines Oregon

Dear Ms. Smith,

The professional background, experience and skills listed in your advertisement are only the beginning of what I can

bring to this position and State Department of Fish and Wildlife (SDFW). While my resume shows previous experience

integrating private lands access with effective data collection (Stream Surveyor, Ecotrust Inc., Summer 2003) it does not

fully reflect the role I served on our survey crew. My crew preferred to have me make all initial landowner contacts

because more landowners allowed access to their lands when I asked permission than when others on the crew asked.

This ability to build trusting relationships with landowners is a trait I look forward to using as a Stream Surveyor with

SDFW in Hines, Oregon. Another reason I am the best person for this position is that I grew up in Hines. I can relate

especially well to local private landowners, including ranch-owners, because I lived in the Hines community for 19

years. My background as a “local” offers opportunities to build lasting relationships of trust with private landowners. In

addition, I have hunted, fished and camped extensively throughout the Malheur basin thus am familiar with the

landmarks, landscape and habitat.

I am interested in working for SDFW as a stream surveyor in Hines because of the type of data you are collecting and the

positive effect this data can have on maintaining native desert fish species. I recently read your report “Stream Habitat

Data from Southeastern Oregon 2003”. I was surprised to see the limited amount of habitat occupied by redband trout

and would like to play a part in identifying habitat that this species could occupy in the future. In addition, I enjoy

working with people as well as fish and look forward to returning home to work with “neighbors”.

I plan to be in Hines during Spring Break, March 10-15. I will call you early next week to see if you have additional

questions about my application and to see if we can meet while I am at home. Thank you for your time and

consideration.

Sincerely,

Jason Junior

resume enclosed

highlight

skills not

in resume

include date

always indicate

resume

enclosed

always

identify

position

identify

position

applying to

show enthusiasm

use work

experience

creatively &

to match job

specify when and how

you will follow up

10 January 2007

Felicia Freshman

OSU Dorm

Corvallis OR 55555

541/555-5555

ffresh@onid.orst.edu

Marine mammals are some of the most amazing creatures in the sea. They have been my passion since I saw a pod of

killer whales in Yaquina Bay six years ago. I have continued this interest academically and am now a

Freshman in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Oregon State University. When I saw your

announcement for an internship working with marine mammals, I immediately began working on this letter. There is

nothing I would rather do than work as a summer Marine Mammal Intern at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

I have done extensive extra-curricular reading about marine mammals and marine systems because they are so

interesting. Throughout high school all of my special projects in science classes were about marine mammals. I am

continuing this at Oregon State University where I am specializing in “marine mammal conservation”. In my many trips

to the Aquarium to observe harbor seals, California sea lions and sea otters, I have learned a great deal about their natural

history and would like to share this with others.

The husbandry work that your Interns perform is critical to survival of the individual mammals at the Aquarium.

Through my work experience at Burger King I learned first-hand the importance of measuring portions precisely, a skill

important in diet preparation for captive animals. In addition, at Burger King, I learned to interact with many different

clients and this will help me work with the variety of visitors to the Aquarium.

If I am selected as an Intern, I will execute my duties with enthusiasm and professionalism. I would love to meet with

you to talk about the Internship and marine mammals. I will call next week to arrange an appointment that is convenient

for you. Thank you so much for considering my application.

Sincerely,

Felicia Freshman

Enclosure

catchy

opening

show

you

value

the

work

show

what

you

know

even if

you

lack

work

indicates

resume

enclosed

introduce

yourself