Cracking the Cover Letter Code

By the time we graduate, most of us will have written at least one cover letter. I know I’ve written and rewritten a million. But although I have the basic idea down, I’m always looking for room to improve! Luckily, the Greene Center was able to help me out ⁠— here’s a few tips I learned on how to bring your cover letter to the next level.

The cover letter is more than just a repeat of your resume. It’s the chance for you to tell your story, and connect the dots between all your experiences. It’s supposed to show how two or three seemingly unrelated experiences have strengthened the same skillsets, such as “organization” or “proficiency in Microsoft Office.” The cover letter is the perfect place to decode those buzzwords that make their way onto every job listing, and prove that yes, you actually do have excellent written and verbal communication skills. It’s also the space to connect seemingly irrelevant positions to the one you’re applying for.

So how do you do all this? Let’s split it up into three main sections: the introduction, building your case, and reaching out.

The Introduction

Before you even think of writing about yourself, you need to know your audience. Do some background research on who the company is and what the open position does. See if you can find the hiring manager’s name, and address the letter accordingly. This helps you demonstrate your interest. Take note of what about the company interests you. Yes, the salary is important, but employers want to know you’ll jive well with the workplace environment, too. Nobody wants a difficult employee.

Once you have a vague idea of who exactly you’re talking to, and what exactly they’re looking for, it’s time to get started! The introduction is your chance to hook the employer, and your first opportunity to stick out from the crowd. That means you want to say who you are and what you want, without being dry, or leaning too heavily on standard etiquette. Yes, “my name is” is straightforward, but it’s also how 50 other applicants are going to start their letters. Maybe you start off by mentioning your most impressive accomplishment (which you’ll explain in detail later).

Build Your Case

After you’ve introduced yourself — and hopefully peppered in at least one job or internship title — it’s time to start talking about your qualifications. Don’t just list your titles, as the employer already knows those. This is the space to go beyond the resume and bring new information about the positions to the table, not repeat it. The resume gives them the basics, the cover letter gives them the proof your summer stints as a camp counselor left you with more than just a paycheck. Draw your inspiration from both the job description and your personal story. That means be specific: use words mentioned in the job description, and talk about how your experiences give you those skills.

Reaching Out

Save the conclusions for English class. The employer doesn’t need you to restate your examples in the above paragraph. To wrap up your cover letter, reach out! Proactively ask for an interview, to help demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job. If you have the relevant contact information, express that you’re going to follow up to learn about next steps. You’ve spent the whole letter trying to connect your past to your future, and now’s your chance to connect yourself as an individual to the reader/employer. Here’s where you remind them that you’re a person hoping for an email back, and not just a list of qualifications.

The more tailored the letter, the better! Creating a fill-in-the-blank template sells yourself short. It might take more work up front to whip something up from scratch, but that helps set you apart from all the other candidates who used a template.

One more thing to keep in mind: you don’t have to do this alone! The Greene Center has lots of tips on their website, like this example cover letter. If you want personalized help, consider setting an appointment with an advisor. They can help you navigate industry-specific standards. To set an appointment, head over to Handshake.

By Hailie Higgins ('22)
Hailie Higgins ('22) Marketing & Communications Specialist