How to Build a Great College Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter directly out of college or university can be a daunting task. With little to no professional work experience, how do you show that school still gave you a competitive edge? These step-by-step instructions break down how you can build a great cover letter as a fresh grad.
The Layout:
A quick Google Image search of ‘cover letter templates’ will provide all the inspiration you need for a great layout. Keep it simple with your name and contact information in a predominant header at the topic, ideally matching the style of your resume.
The Salutation:
Try to find the name of the hiring manager (hint: if the job posting doesn’t say who to address the letter to, it often says the title of the person you would be reporting to). When in doubt, ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ or ‘Dear Hiring Committee’ work well too. Just stay away from writing ‘To Whom It May Concern’, as that can come across as distant.
The Intro:
The first paragraph is crucial to securing your spot as a candidate they’re interested in learning more about. Be sure to:
- State what position and job ID you are applying for in the first sentence
- Connect your new or soon-to-be degree with a desired skill from the job posting and something you’re passionate about: “As a recent X graduate, I am excited to embark on a career that would allow me to combine my Y skills with my passion for Z.”
The Middle Paragraph:
This is where you’ll get into the meat about how your skills, experience and qualifications relate to the job posting. Be sure to:
- Use a mix of key words and synonyms from the job posting (you don’t want to sound like you’re just copying and pasting, but you also want to make sure any artificial intelligence-based screening systems let your application through)
- Relate the job details and desired skill list with various experiences from school, showing how you would add value to the company. Get creative - don’t let your lack of work experience get you down! If you’re really stuck, try something like: “I am confident that my X skill demonstrated by doing Y in many of my upper-year courses would allow me to rapidly learn Z skill used by your company.”
The Closing Paragraph:
This is where you’ll want to summarize why you want the position and remind them why you’re the best candidate. Be sure to:
- Re-express your interest in the position as a passionate new college or university grad
- Re-state why you feel you would be the best candidate in just one sentence (bonus points for saying you’re looking forward to joining their hard-working team)
- Thank them for their consideration
The sign-off:
Inserting a small scanned image of your handwritten signature in between ‘Sincerely’ and your typed out name adds a nice personal and professional touch. Just make sure the transition between the image and the Word document is seamless with no visible outline.
Related Blogs
Study with Us
The help you need to get the grades you want.
Previous Blog
Advice from Fellow Students on Becoming Socials Entrepreneurs
Next Blog
How and When to Choose a Double Major
Other posts you might like:
Student Life
What to Consider Before Dropping a Class
What to Consider Before Dropping a Course Dropping a class can be intimidating and, frankly, quite t... Read More
K
Kaitlyn Han