Assignment: Senior project
Cover Letter
Cover letters are recommended, and in some instances required, for job applications. If you want to stand out from other candidates, you will want to write a unique cover letter for each position you apply to.
Cover letters allow you to clarify, detail, and expand on your most relevant skills and competencies. In addition, a cover letter allows you to showcase your written communication skills.
It is important that you have a compelling cover letter. To write an impactful cover letter, you need to answer the following questions before you begin composing it. Starting with these questions will help provide a clear and concise message for the person reading your cover letter.
• Why are you interested in the position? Consider what makes the position, organization, or company interesting to you.
• What three skills or competencies do you possess that match the skills the employer is seeking in a candidate?
o You can find these skills by viewing the job description. These specific skills are the reason every cover letter should be unique for each job for which you apply.
• The Cover Letters resource contains step-by step instructions for creating a cover letter including: formatting suggestions, tips regarding how to highlight your best skills and qualification and how to tailor your letter for specific job you wish to apply to.
• For more in-depth guidance for writing a cover letter, please watch the Creating a Compelling Cover Letter webinar.
For your assignment:
• First, identify a position on Indeed that interests you as a potential job opportunity. Using the job description, identify three skills or qualifications that match your background and type them out.
• Next, using the format suggestions from both the webinar and cover letter sample, create a three- to four-sentence paragraph that communicates the three matching skills and/or competencies you would like to highlight for the employer. The goal is to tailor the body of your cover letter to the position you seek.