Do I Have to Write a Cover Letter?

Students often ask me this question.

It is the wrong question.

You should be asking “Can I write a cover letter?” Unless explicitly prohibited from doing so, always write a cover letter, even if it just in the text box of an email. This is an additional chance to introduce yourself to employers and sell them on you as a potential hire. Résumés give you a chance to outline your related experience. Cover letters give them a taste of your personality, which will never come through in the résumé. It should be business-like, but personable and accessible.

Cover letters contain three paragraphs, with one essential question answered in each.

Paragraph One – Introduction
Why are you writing?

Introduce yourself, and then let the reader know for which job you are applying. Include the job number and/or official job title, if they were listed. This is also the place to show any connection you might have to the company. If you met a recruiter a career fair, or you have a friend who works for the company and suggested you apply, or your mom is friend of the CEO – weave that into the first paragraph.

I am applying for job # 12345, the sales associate position you listed in GauchoLink at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I am a soon-to-be-graduating senior, and am looking to turn my degree in math and the sales experience I have accrued in my summer jobs into a full time career in sales. Tom Gaucho, a former roommate of mine, has worked for ABC Company since graduating and his consistently enthusiastic stories about working for your company have made your company my top choice.

Paragraph Two – Highlight of Qualifications
How has your education, previous employment, or other experiences prepared you for this position?

In this paragraph, you distill your résumé into three or four main elements and then match them to the requirements listed for this position. Does it require a college degree? Is it all related to your major? Did you take a particular class that is related to the job? Did you participate in an internship, part-time job or campus activity that allowed you to perform similar duties and responsibilities? Make the connection between your past and this job. Don’t repeat your résumé, but rather make reference to items on it that you especially want the recruiter to be aware of.

As you will see on my résumé, I have partially financed my education by working retails sales jobs in the summer. I have worked both at Sears, the large chain store where we all have shopped, and at Boutique Clothes, a small private clothier in Santa Barbara. In both positions I was praised for my strong customer service orientation and my eagerness to help customers find exactly what they wanted. My math degree has proved an asset in justifying my receipts at the end of my shift and balancing my registers.

Paragraph Three – Closing Statement

What next?

This is a pretty simple paragraph. Let the employer know how interested you are in the position/company. Let the employer know how you can be reached for an interview. And if possible, keep the initiative. Include a sentence that says that you will be in touch in so many days or on such and such a date to ensure your materials arrived safely and to discuss the possibility of an interview. In some cases, ads are blind and there is no way for you to do this. In that case, skip this sentence and close by saying you hope to hear from the employer soon.

Please find my résumé enclosed. I hope you agree that I am a strong candidate for your position. I will call in a few days to ensure you have received my information and to ask about an interview. If you would like to reach me in advance, please feel free to email me at sally.student@gmail.com or call at 805.123.4567. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Some additional tips:

Ensure your email address is professional. partyanimal@gmail.com won’t cut it.

Begin with “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. Doe,” not “Hi John.”

Use a standard business letter format. If you don’t know what that is, click here.

Once you have a draft, bring it into drop-ins at Career Services and we can help you fine tune it so it will have the punch you need for it to raise your application to the top of the pile.

Micael Kemp is the director of Career Services at UCSB.