Writing a great cover letter is equally as important as writing a great resume. Your cover letter should tell potential employers what your resume does not and it should tell them why they should want you for the job and not what you want from the job. That being said; let’s write an “introduction to me”.


The first short paragraph of your cover letter should answer the questions:

*Why are you writing to them?
*Why are you interested?

The objective should be what the employer is looking for. You are writing to be considered for what position and why? An opening example might be:

*I believe that I would be an excellent candidate for the position of ______.
*I bring with me ______ years of experience and success in ______ and would like to share my
ideas and prior accomplishments in this area with your company.

Put in the time that other applicant’s are not and research the company so that you can mention a specific qualification, experience or training that you have that would be important to the position that you are applying for. The objective first paragraph of your cover letter needs to spark interest of the reader and be no more than three lines in length. This is the brief window of consideration that is the most important part to the potential employer. This is the area that will spark an employers interest in you.


The second paragraph of your cover letter should answer the questions:

*What unique qualifications do you have for this position?
*What are your accomplishments that qualify you for this position?

You should highlight what qualifications the job posting called for and why you qualify and provide evidence to back it up. An example of sentences with this information might be:

*I currently hold a/an _____ degree and _____ years of experience in the field of _____.
*As you will note from my resume I am experienced and trained in the areas of _____ and
I believe that I meet the requirements of _____ for the position of _____.

Provide detail of how you can be beneficial to them. Grab and hold the readers attention. Leave them wanting more. Show your knowledge of the company. Do not recite from your resume but encourage the reader to continue to find out what you have to offer them. This is the area that you will show your knowledge of the job posting and what you can do for them.


The closing paragraph of your cover letter should be persuasive and optimistic and answer the questions:

*Did you ask for a response from them?
*Did you thank them?

An example of a closing paragraph might be:

*I am looking forward to hearing from you regarding an interview…
*I would be happy to discuss how I can benefit your company during an interview…
*Thank you for your consideration, my contact information is …
*Thank you for considering me for the position of _____, I will be following up on…

The closing paragraph should be short and suggestive and include a response as well as a thank you.
Always follow up if you do not hear from them in two weeks. Write a short thank you letter to them suggesting a response. This is a good way to find out if the position has been filled or is still open.


Applying this information to your cover letter should help you find ways to stand out in your introduction when applying for employment in today’s market. Make your resume stand out to potential employers.