CDO’s Quick Guide to Drafting Public Interest/Public Sector Cover Letters - Cover Letter Writing Guide

Sep 13, 2026

CDO’s Quick Guide to drafting Public Interest/Public Sector cover letters explains what a cover letter must accomplish and how to build a persuasive case. It walks through preparing by matching required skills to past experiences, organizing a narrative tied to the employer’s needs and student commitment, drafting with concrete evidence, then editing to a one-page, error-free format. It also covers proofreading, obtaining reviews, and submitting a professional PDF.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

What does a cover letter do?

How do I draft my cover letter?

1. Prepare

2. Organize

3. Write

4. Proofread

5. Get it reviewed

6. Proof it again and PDF it!

Is there an example I can look at?

CDO PI/PS Cover Letter Template

Career Development Office PI/PS Cover Letter Quick Guide CDO’s Quick Guide to Drafting Public Interest/Public Sector Cover Letters This short guide is meant to demystify the process of writing cover letters, with a focus on cover letters for public interest and public sector jobs. What does a cover letter do? A cover letter introduces you to a potential employer, and places your application in context for them. It also makes the argument that you are the person who should be hired, based on the specific skills that the job requires. To support this argument, you need to marshall the evidence from your previous experiences. How do I draft my cover letter? 1. Prepare: First, figure out what skills are required for this specific job. Look carefully at the job description, if one is posted. If not, do some research. You can talk to CDO counselors and/or people who have worked in a similar position at a similar organization, for example. Note that most public interest jobs and employers are looking for students who are genuinely committed to the work of the organization, in addition to the other skills and qualifications they seek. Then, make a list of the job skills and qualifications. For each one, write down everything you have done that involved similar skills, whether it was a job, an activity, or another life experience. Be specific about the tasks you performed. The resulting list is your evidence that you’re qualified. You will not use every piece of evidence in every letter, but you can look at the big picture before selecting the evidence you will use. 2. Organize: Put yourself into the shoes of the employer. When they pick up your application materials, they need to know: Who is this? What position is this person applying for? Why should I keep reading, and why should I interview or hire this person? Identify what seem to be the most important tasks involved in the job. Your core argument is that you have the skills needed to excel at those tasks. With that argument in mind, outline the key points you need to get across in the letter. Your points should tell a story about yourself that is framed in terms of what the employer is seeking. Again, remember that most public interest employers want to hire students who are genuinely committed to the work of the organization. So, your argument that you are a good fit will likely include a point about your commitment or interest in this work. But it will also address the other key qualifications for the job. Your outline should follow this format: a. Introduction – who you are and why you are writing (usually to apply for a position) b. Body – your points on why you are right for this position c. Conclusion – summing up, making your “ask”(likely an interview), thanking the reader See the last page of this document for a cover letter template showing this outline in more detail. 3. Write: Flesh out your outline. For the body of the letter, use the best evidence you have to make your argument--the concrete tasks you’ve performed that best show that you can do the work of this job. Refer back to the list you made when preparing. Again, for most public interest or public sector employers, you will be including a point about your commitment to the kind of work they do. This point should be appropriately tailored – abroad commitment to “public interest” is generally too vague. The employer wants to know that you understand and care about what they do. If you put some thought into why their work appeals to you, you can probably describe a commitment to serving a particular client community, contributing to a particular social justice movement, working in a particular level of government, etc., in a way that connects your interests to their work even if you don’t yet have any experience in what the employer does specifically. Feel free to seek help with this from CDO. Your first draft may be longer, but edit the final product down to a single pa

FAQs

What is the purpose of a public interest/public sector cover letter?

It introduces the applicant to the employer, places the application in context, and argues that the applicant fits the specific skills the job requires. It does so using evidence from prior experiences framed around the employer’s needs.

How should I prepare before writing my cover letter?

Identify the skills required for the specific job by reviewing the job description or researching when one is not available. Then list each skill and map it to tasks you performed in a job, activity, or life experience, with enough specificity to use as evidence.

What steps are recommended after drafting the cover letter?

Edit the draft down to a single page, proofread it thoroughly for spelling, punctuation, and grammar, and ensure formatting consistency. Then send it to CDO for review, ask friends for feedback, proof again, and submit as a professional PDF.

Sep 13, 2026

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