Princeton Univ. Cover Letter Guide: Crafting Persuasive & Personalized App Letter, Lecture notes of Art

Download Princeton Univ. Cover Letter Guide: Crafting Persuasive & Personalized App Letter and more Lecture notes Art in PDF only on Docsity! Cover Letter Guide COVER LETTER Center for CAREER Development PRINCETON UNIVERSITY 2Center for CAREER Development PRINCETON UNIVERSITY any students say they don’t know what a cover letter is, much less how to write one. This guide will demystify this crucial document and show you how to write one in a few simple steps. It’s important to personalize your cover letter to the specific opportunity to which you are applying, but there is more to it than mentioning the organization’s name a few times or quoting the job description. Doing this well means thinking about your target audience and demonstrating the value you can add to your future employer. New to cover letter writing Anatomy of a Cover Letter 3 Applying to a specific opportunity Sample Letter: Response to a Job Lead Worksheet: Interpreting a Job Description 4 & 5 Sending an internship inquiry Sample Letter: General Inquiry Worksheet: Organization/Agency Information 6 & 7 Seeking further inspiration Weak-Better-Best Sample Sentences 8 M HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE If you are... Start with the... On Page... Basic Principles of Cover Letter Writing 1 • Not all employers will ask for – or read – cover letters, but knowing how to thoughtfully convey your interests and qualifications is an integral part of the recruitment process. • A cover letter answers three basic questions: Who are you and what are you applying for? What value can you add to this organization? Why are you interested in this particular opportunity? • It is an opportunity to introduce yourself and showcase your value to the organization. • Be thorough, yet concise. Keep it to half a page, approximately 250-300 words. A well-written cover letter can set you apart from candidates who don’t submit one. 2 • Cover letters provide the context around – and highlights from – the experiences outlined on your resume. • This is your chance to demonstrate you know what the organization needs and that you are the candidate who can provide it. A cover letter is more than a resume in paragraph form. 3 The format, content and purpose of a cover letter are highly individualized. • Follow basic professional writing standards, paying special attention to differences in uploading a cover letter into an online application or using your letter as the body of an email message. • Match the tone of the job description or vibe of the organization’s website. • Know that employers can tell when a letter reads like a generic template. 5Center for CAREER Development PRINCETON UNIVERSITY List three traits sought in a candidate (e.g., Strong presentation skills) List three phrases describing your personality (e.g., Confident public speaker) 1. 1. 2. 2. 3. 3. List three job duties/responsibilities (e.g., Source newsworthy items from media outlets) List an achievement related to each duty (e.g., Curated hundreds of news clippings weekly) 1. 1. 2. 2. 3. 3. List three facts about the organization (e.g.,Leading aircraft manufacturing firm) List why you find that fact appealing (e.g., Firm uses tech to prototype new planes) 1. 1. 2. 2. 3. 3. Next Steps: • Review the standard cover letter format (p. 3) and the sample cover letter (p.4). • Craft your letter in your own voice. • Match the tone of the job description and organization. INTERPRETING A JOB DESCRIPTION WORKSHEET A cover letter answers three basic questions: Who are you and what are you applying for? What value can you add to this organization? Why are you interested in this particular opportunity? This worksheet is designed to help you think of the answers to these questions, and then present them in a compelling way. Refer to a specific job description to complete the chart below. THE JOB DESCRIPTION HOW I MATCH 6Center for CAREER Development PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Sample Letter: General Inquiry Not all internships or jobs are the direct result of a posting. Below is a standard format for a general inquiry note to a contact to inquire about a possible position. Dear Campaign Coordinator: I am an avid follower of local political campaigns, and it is my hope to join your organization this summer to support the work of senatorial candidate Olivia Williams. Although I did not see a formal internship program posted on your website, I wanted to share my background with you for consideration. At Princeton University, I am earning an A.B. in Politics with certificates in Spanish and Latin, with the intention of pursuing law school after graduation. I have experience managing a student-election campaign, tracking media stories and conducting voter outreach. I am competitive by nature and channel this energy into both academic and athletic endeavors, maintaining a strong GPA while committing more than 5,200 hours over five years to training with a championship rowing team. As a cadet with Princeton’s U.S. Army ROTC, I am most impressed with the work Ms. Williams has done to engage Midwest veterans in community development. I come from a military family and actively advocate for efforts that provide comprehensive health and social services to this population. My spring semester exams end on May 25 and I am available to work from early June through late August. I may be reached at (201) 987-6543 or t2@princeton.edu to discuss the campaign and potential opportunities for the summer. I very much appreciate your time. Sincerely, Teo Tiger Internship Inquiry campaignhq@williamsforsenate.org See more examples of cover letter sentences on p. 8 7Center for CAREER Development PRINCETON UNIVERSITY If you find yourself struggling to answer the question, “Why do you want to work for this organization?” use this worksheet to learn more about the organization first. You can answer these questions by reviewing the company website, company summaries on Vault.com, checking Glassdoor.com, conducting an internet search for recent articles or updates about the company and (when possible) speaking with employees at career events or through informational conversations. Use the findings to craft a letter that shows you know what the organization does and why you want to support their efforts. What is the organization’s mission? What products/services does this organization provide? How does this organization stand out from its competitors? Describe any of the organization’s community engagement projects or employee development programs. List an internship or entry level role or job function you’d enjoy within this organization. Identify skills needed for this type of position and examples to demonstrate you have them. Next Steps: • Review the standard cover letter format (p. 3) and the sample cover letter (p.4). • Craft your letter in your own voice. • Match the tone of the job description and organization. ORGANIZATION/AGENCY INFORMATION WORKSHEET