Cover Letters
What is a Cover Letter?
A cover letter produces some distinct opportunities and advantages to strengthen your application:
- demonstrates your written communication skills
- opportunity to express enthusiasm and positive energy
- show that you have done some research about the employer
- another way to connect your skills and experience to the requirements of the position by explaining your experience [1]
The Purpose of a Cover Letter
There are 3 main purposes for a cover letter: [2]
- identify the position to which you are applying
- demonstrate why you are the best person for the job
- convince the employer why they should invite you to an interview
Just as with a resume, writing a cover letter is not an exact science. There are guidelines, but there are a variety of ways to write a cover letter to meet employer expectations while still letting your unique voice come through. There are many freely available examples of cover letters to peruse and explore.
Cover Letter Content and Format
Use the Job Posting to Develop your Cover Letter
The job posting can yield valuable information to develop your cover letter and resume, such as keywords.
Here’s what a cover letter might look like for that posting. Take a look at the anatomy of the letter and pay attention to the ways in which the example specifically utilizes language from the posting itself:
- Position: quickly identifies the name of the position
- Employer: names the company or employer that posted the position
- Source: outlines where and in what capacity they found the job posting
- Education: establishes that they are soon to satisfy the requisite degree-level
- Experience: specifies that they have several years experience performing relevant work
- Skills: mentions that they have experience in coordinating projects
- Work Setting: notes that they have experience working in marketing and media content development
- Work Conditions and Personal Suitability: takes language directly from the job posting and personally contextualizes it with a description of their previous experience
- Specific Skills: illustrates that they have prior experience in studying products and then writing about them (which is what this job will specifically require them to do)
Job: Data Analytics
Employer: XYZ Canada
Location: Anytown, ON
Experience: Experience an asset
We are XYZ, a three-time Best Places to Work award winner in insurance. We enable client success through the expertise of over 400 employees based in Canada (and more than 3,000 employees globally), investments in innovative technologies, and ensuring quality relationships with highly-rated insurers, vendors, and financial institutions.
We are seeking individuals who have:
- Strong ability to work collaboratively in a remote or hybrid environment
- Strong time management and organizational skills; quick learner
- Ability to consistently meet deadlines independently and comfort with fast-paced, changing environments
Specific Skills:
- Analytical Skills: Demonstrate a willingness to learn and develop analytical skills. This includes the ability to understand data, identify patterns, and draw insights.
- Statistical Knowledge: Have a basic understanding of statistics and be eager to learn more.
- Data Visualization: Understanding how to create effective data visualizations to communicate insights is valuable.
- Database Management: Basic knowledge of database management systems to retrieve and manipulate data from databases.
- Critical Thinking: Demonstrate the ability to think critically, approach problems analytically, ask questions, and seek solutions.
- Attention to Detail: Keen eye for detail is important for ensuring data accuracy and quality.
- Communication Skills: Effective communication is key, both in terms of expressing ideas and understanding instructions.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Interns should demonstrate a willingness to tackle challenges and find creative solutions.
- Learning Agility: Eager to learn and grow, open to feedback, willing to learn new tools and techniques, and adaptable to changing priorities.
- Programming Skills: Familiarity with programming languages commonly used in data analysis, such as Python or R, is beneficial.
Resources
- Cover Letter Tips Checklist
- Indeed has compiled a wide range of cover letter samples that are organized by target jobs and industries.
- Additionally, the University of Virginia also provides discipline-specific cover letter examples.
When writing your cover letter, be sure to use an upbeat and enthusiastic tone and use words that evoke a feeling of self-confidence (words like “certain” and “positive” for example).
By understanding the need to specifically address the needs of the employer and contextualizing your own experience, you will be able to identify, emulate, and create effective, targeted cover letters.
