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A cover letter is a critical piece of writing that will give you the chance to better describe your skills and directly address your potential employer.  \nThis Guide will help you to:  \n• Identify when cover letters are necessary  \n• Start writing using effective strategies  \n• Format and edit your drafts  \n• Revise and troubleshoot  \n• Submit your cover letter  \nThis guide will also provide you a checklist so that you can ensure that you have covered all the necessary areas for your cover letter.  \nThe main purposes of a cover letter are to:  \n• Expand upon the information in your resume and show how your skills coincide with the job description and the needs and values of an organization  \n• Introduce you to an employer and demonstrate your personality on paper  \n• Demonstrate your written communication skills and attention to detail  \n• Provide your contact information and demonstrate your eagerness to speak with the employer in the future  \n• Do all of the above in a concise and effective manner  \nFrequently Asked Questions about Cover Letters  \nWhy do I need to write a cover letter?  \nA good cover letter can be the difference that gets you an interview for an internship or job. Effective writing skills are highly valued and, no matter what your major is, an applicant who can write concisely and powerfully will stand out over other job seekers.  \nDo I always need a cover letter?  \nYes. Even if a job description does not specifically call for a cover letter, you will do yourself a disservice by not submitting a cover letter in addition to your resume or CV.  \nCan a cover letter be longer than one page?  \nAs a general rule, cover letters should be no longer than one page, even with normal formatting. If you find it absolutely necessary, you may use smaller margins while formatting to fit more content on 1 page. Keep your letter between 300 and 400 words, and remember that typical recruiters review job applications in less than 10 seconds. Make sure your writing captures and sustains their attention.  \nWhat if I can’t write?  \nBecause of your liberal arts background with Macalester, you have been or will be required to take at least one writing course. Good writing skills, whether they be creatively or academically developed, can be easily translated to creating a good cover letter. If you are someone who does not enjoy writing, don’t worry. The following section provides tips to make writing your cover letter as easy as possible.  \nStarting From Scratch  \nPlease note: The best cover letter you can write will be tailored to the specific position to which you are applying. While parts of your cover letter may be applicable to several different jobs or internships, always make sure that you create a new cover letter for each position.  \nOrganize your thoughts before writing and determine the points on your resume that you wish to highlight. Like an academic paper, a cover letter should be laid out in a clear and logical manner. Each section should have a specific purpose.  \nDo not expect a perfect draft the first time you write a cover letter. In fact, you should go through multiple drafts while writing to ensure that you eliminate confusing phrases, misspelled words, bad grammar, etc.  \nWrite Your First Draft  \n1. Write several opening sentences that you think may catch your reader’s attention and select your favorite.  \n2. Identify key words or goals in the job or organization description and cite them in reference to your own skills. For instance, if a job description says,“Looking for a highly motivated, customeroriented individual to work full-time at our customer service desk,” ","cbCaimZzT5ppOLs6","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimZzT5ppOLs6","pdf",472620,19,"English","# Effective Cover Letters\n## When cover letters are necessary and their purposes\n## Frequently Asked Questions about cover letters\n## Starting from scratch\n## Write your first draft\n## The essential parts of a cover letter (outline)","[{\"question\":\"Why do I need to write a cover letter?\",\"answer\":\"A strong cover letter can make the difference in getting an interview by showing how your skills match the role, while also proving concise, powerful writing.\"},{\"question\":\"Do I always need to include a cover letter?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. 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