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Cover letters should not summarize your resume, but should highlight the aspects of your background that are most relevant to the reader. A cover letter also demonstrates that you can organize your thoughts and express yourself clearly and appropriately—it reflects your communication skills and, to some extent, your personality.  \nCover letters are a maximum of one page in length and are comprised of four paragraphs:  \n• Details about why you are writing and who you are.  \n• Evidence from your resume that demonstrates that you have the skills called for in the job description.  \n• An explanation of why you want to work for a company.  \n• A concluding proposal for further action.  \nFive Things to Consider Before You Write  \nIf you do not know what to wrtite after,“Dear Mr. or Ms. So-and-So,” take a step back and put some more thought into your cover letter. Ask yourself the following questions to build a foundation for your letter, and the actual writing will go more smoothly:  \n1. What does the prospective employer need?  \nClosely examine the job description and make a list of skills, knowledge, and experiences that are called for init.  \n2. What are your objectives?  \nAre you applying for a specific job, or writing to inquire about employment opportunities that have not been posted? You should clearly state your objective in the first paragraph.  \n3. What are three to five qualities that you can bring to this employer or job?  \nIf you are responding to a job listing, choose qualities that match the job requirements. Reference skills, tasks, and responsibilities using words similar to those in the job posting. If you are inquiring about opportunities at the company in general, think of which skills, knowledge, and experiences would typically be valued. Visit the company’s website to help determine these qualities.  \n4. How can you match your experience to the job?  \nName at least two of your specific accomplishments, projects, or jobs that support the qualities you identified in question 3.  \n5. Why do you want to work for this particular organization or person?  \nWhat do you know about them? How do their products or services, philosophy, mission, organizational culture,  \nCareer  \nDevelopment  1  \nCenter  \nWriting Cover Letters  \ngoals, and needs relate to your background, values, and objectives? Has the company been in the news lately or completed a project related to something you’ve studied? If yes, mention that connection. You want to tell the company why you want to work for them specifically. Use supporting, specific facts.  \ntechnic Institute (WPI) graduating in May with a major in biology.” Be sure to include your degree, major, year, and the fact that you are a WPI student.  \n• The “why you are writing” is where you mention what position you are applying for, or, if there is no specific position opening, your job objective.  \nContact Information  \nInclude a contact name from the company in both the address and salutation of your cover letter. The salutation should never include a first name, but should read,“Dear Mr. Smith” or“Dear Ms. Smith.” Use Ms. rather than Mrs. or Miss because it applies to any woman, regardless of marital status, whereas other abbreviations are more specific and may be offensive.  \nJob postings may or may not provide a contact name. Scroll down to the bottom of the posting to see if a contact is listed. If not, you can use the Business Card database on one of the computers in the CDC lobby. Please ask a CDC staff member for assistance. You can also try to locate a department head/hiring manager from the company’s website or Human Resources department, through LinkedIn, or through Hoover’s Company Profiles, an online database accessible from the Gordon Library website, or through Career Search located on Job Finder. When all else fails, use,“Dear Hiring Manager.”  \nSections o","cbCaivk1Vl6dneoc","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivk1Vl6dneoc","pdf",200112,7,"English","# Writing Cover Letters\n## What a Cover Letter Does\n## Before You Write: Five Considerations\n## Sections of a Cover Letter\n## Contact Information and Salutations","[{\"question\":\"What should a cover letter communicate besides repeating your resume?\",\"answer\":\"A cover letter serves as an introduction and persuasive pitch, highlighting background elements most relevant to the reader. It also demonstrates clear organization and appropriate, effective communication.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the four main paragraphs in a cover letter?\",\"answer\":\"The cover letter is organized into four paragraphs: (1) the opening with your identity and how you learned of the role or organization, (2) a sales/matching pitch using evidence from your resume, (3) why you want to work for the company, and (4) a concluding proposal for further action.\"},{\"question\":\"How should you handle contact names and salutations?\",\"answer\":\"Use a contact name from the company in both the address and salutation, and avoid using a first name. Use “Ms.” rather than “Mrs.” or “Miss,” and if no contact name is available, use “Dear Hiring Manager.”\"}]","Writing Cover Letters - Cover letter structure and key guidance | PDF"]