19 Cover Letter Contents and Sample

Parts of a Cover Letter

The different parts of a cover letter are described below.

Your Contact Information (Letterhead)

• Your first and last name, current address, phone number, email address and link to your LinkedIn profile.

Match your resume letterhead’s format to show consistency in your branding.

Date of Submission

• Date you are applying and submitting your application for the position, written out in long form (ex. March 31, 2021).

Company Name, Department Name, and Address

• Hiring manager’s name and title.
• The name of the company and/or department listed on the job posting.
• The company’s full address.

If the name of the hiring contact and address are not on the posting, try to research this information for yourself. Check the company’s website or LinkedIn, or call the company directly to obtain the name of the person in charge of hiring for the position or the company’s address.

Subject of the Letter (Re:)

• Exact job title and posting number, if one has been provided.
  • For example: Re: Part-time Medical Ward Clerk, Day Surgery, Posting #35546.

Greeting

• Personalize your greeting to say, “Dear First Name Last Name.” (Translation Bureau, 2015).
  • For example, if the person’s name is Jackie Chan, your greeting is “Dear Jackie Chan.”
    • NEVER use:
      • “Dear Mr. Chan,” “Dear Ms. Chan,” or “Dear Mrs. Chan.”
      • “Dear Jackie” or “Dear Chan”

Do not use a generic greeting such as “To Whom it May Concern”.

Introduction

• The introduction should tell the reader why you are sending this letter.
  • What: the job title and company (If this is a generic cover letter, describe what type of job interests you) for which you are applying.
  • Where: Indicate where you found out about this position. State whether you are responding to an advertised position, wish to be considered for a prospective opening, or if you were referred to the company by a friend or a colleague.
  • Why: Explain briefly why you would like to work for this employer. This paragraph lets the employer know that you have written this letter specifically for them and demonstrates your knowledge of the company. By stating your knowledge of the company and emphasizing your interest, you are setting yourself apart from other candidates.
    • Instead of telling the employer what this position can do for you, state what you will bring and how this makes you a strong fit for the organization. For example, if you are applying for a job because the hours or location are convenient for you, do not state this in your letter. 
    • Do your research! Read through the “About Us” page on the company’s website, mission statement, and social media sites to get more information and insight into the company. Find something there that appeals to you and state, in your letter, how this attracted you to the position. This is also good preparation for the common interview questions, such as: “What do you know about our company/organization, and why do you want to work for us?”

Body of the Letter

• Promote yourself; summarize your relevant education and work experience and how they meet the employer’s needs, e.g. work placements, co-op, applied research, previous employment, years of experience, etc.
• Use descriptive, positive action verbs to describe what you can do and keywords from the job posting.
• Highlight your strongest skills and provide further or more in-depth details about a significant accomplishment or an example that pertains to the job.
• Don’t duplicate your resume. Avoid presenting information not covered in the resume, but at the same time, do not restate your resume word for word. Rather, summarize your most relevant skills and experiences as they relate to the employer’s needs.

If the job posting lists a skill you lack, do not draw attention to this skill. Do not apologize for it or even mention it in your letter

Conclusion

• In closing your cover letter, briefly summarize what you will contribute to the company.
• Mention your enclosed resume.
• Thank the employer for their consideration.
• Provide your contact information and remind them how you can be reached most easily; you can also clarify which times of the day you are most reachable if you have other obligations.
• Clearly and politely ask for an opportunity to meet or discuss your qualifications further and let them know you will follow up with them after a specified time.

Signature

• Complete your letter by writing “Sincerely” underneath your last paragraph.
• Skip several spaces and type out your first and last name.
• Several applications can be downloaded that allow you to create an importable image of your handwritten signature, offering a nice professional look to finish your letter when submitting your applications online.
• At the very bottom, add: Encl. or Enclosure (this alerts the reader that there are more pages to read, ie, your resume)

Sample Cover Letter