Yuwei 202 tutorial 3

1. COMM 202
tutorial 3: cover letters
T04 & T10

2. what’s your brand?
• 2 minutes to jot down 4-5 words that describe you best
– skills, personality, etc.
• THINK: if you had 30 seconds to describe who you ware
what would you say?

3. where are we at?
StrengthsQuest
Job Research
Skills Matrix
Cover Letter
Resume
Interview!!

4. timeline
week 5 week 9week 6 week 8week 7
• intro to cover
letters
• skills matrix
drafts due
• cover letter
peer review
• cover letter
drafts due
• skills matrix
due Friday,
October 14th @
2:00PM
• LinkedIn /
networking
• event
networking /
informational
interviews
• cover letter &
resume due
Tuesday,
November 1st
@ 2:00PM
• networking
event on
November 3rd
• resume peer
review
• resume drafts
due

5. agenda
• cover letter
• activity
• cover emails
• action items

6. the process
cover email resume & cover letter interview get hired!

7. why write a cover letter?

8. why write a cover letter?
• shows your INTENTIONS & INTERESTS
– shows SINCERITY and RESEARCH
• demonstrates ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE
– CREATIVE and PROFESSIONAL
• opportunity to elaborate on YOUR STORIES
– drawn from your SKILLS MATRIX

9. can, want, fit
CAN you do
the job?
Do you
WANT
the job?
Are you
the right
FIT?

10. resume vs. cover letter
• what’s the difference?

11. resume vs. cover letter
• what’s the difference?
Your resume is about YOU!
Your cover letter is about THEM!

12. cover letter elements
Opening Skill Matching Closing
Branding Integration Formatting

13. opening
Dear ,
My name is , and
I applying to .

14. opening
Dear ,
My name is , and
I applying to .

15. opening takeaways
• expresses keen and genuine interest and/or passion for position
• genuine and unique primary and secondary research indicating
interest in company (make sure the research you show is tied to
your interest)
• name drop (where applicable)
• makes a clear expression of the skills/experience matching the job
description

16. an example

17. another example

18. you need a hook!
How fast can you change four tires? One hour? Ten minutes? A few years ago I witnessed a
Formula One team do it in 2.7 seconds. They said a perfect run would be just one second. In
everything that I do I strive to reach that one second – that perfect test score, that perfect
presentation, that perfect career. After speaking with Jake Woodson, a recent hire, Dion Chen, and
other industry professionals, I know that my personality and passion lies in sales and trading.
Through my unique athletic background and passion, I will provide competitiveness and drive that
will set a benchmark for future interns. I cannot wait to sit on a trading floor, execute trades, and
engage in research while receiving mentorship from the most world-renowned investment bank. A
career with Goldman Sachs is my one second and this is how I will help Goldman reach its own
one second ideal:

19. your turn!

20. skills matching
• skills from your skills matrix match
the job description (use STARL)
• best relevant experiences
• link education and other training to
the job, and link to the co/position if
it’s not obvious
• any other qualifications
if it doesn’t belong, don’t include it!

21. skills matching example

22. skills matching example

23. skills matching
• each line proves you have the necessary skills & aptitudes to
perform on the job
• always link to the company / position if not obvious
• use skills listed in the job description

24. closing
“Thank you for looking at my application. I hope
that I have shown you that my interpersonal
skills, my leadership skills, and my ability to
perform on a team make me a perfect fit for ABC
position. Thank you very much and I hope to
hear from you soon.”

25. closing
“Thank you for looking at my application. I hope
that I have shown you that my interpersonal
skills, my leadership skills, and my ability to
perform on a team make me a perfect fit for ABC
position. Thank you very much and I hope to
hear from you soon.”

26. closing
• make a good final impression
• show your passion
• restate skills with a different wording
• give genuine thanks
• leave a call to action
• tie to previous examples/stories (tie to hook)

27. closing
• address the elephant in the room
– bad grades
– relocation
– year of study

28. closing examples

29. branding
• remember your brand? Use it
• consistent throughout cover letter
• fits in with the company’s values + yours
• good impression
• use Job Research Assignment

30. integration
• cover letter + resume use
SAME formatting
• stands out!
• cover letter reflects and
expands on resume
• be mindful of spacing

31. integration

32. Date
Contact Name
Their Title
Company
Address
City, Province, Postal Code
Re: Position Title
Dear Mr. / Ms. Their Last Name OR Hiring Manager
These spaces are
important
If unknown, this can be
omitted
AVOID:
“To Whom it May Concern”
“Dear Sir or Madam”
Country is typically
unnecessary unless
applying outside of
Canada

33. formatting example

35. formatting example

36. can, want, fit
CAN you do
the job?
Do you
WANT
the job?
Are you
the right
FIT?

37. cover emails
• <150 words
• utilize bold face type to emphasize important points
• show your brand & personality
• make them want more!
• ie. resume, cover letter and interview!

38. Subject: Job Title – Your Name OR come up with a very short hook for example “Beer & people lover has found her
dream internship” or “Your new HR Intern is inside” or “HIRING MANAGER NAME, I’m excited!” Depending on how cool
the company is.
To: Name of job poster/whom it may concern/hiring manager (never write Dear Sirs – hello sexism!),
Your advert posted on WEBSITE NAME for JOB TITLE really caught my attention; Labatt has “good things brewing” and
I would love to be a component of the “good things”. I believe my XYZ (people management) experience alongside
my drive, tenacity and exemplary communications skills are a solid match to your needs. I also match the job
requirements in the following ways:
• 2 years of leadership experience
• Exceptional presentational skills
• Advanced Excel capabilities
• UBC Innovation Award recipient
• 5 years’ experience organizing team building activities
I am confident that I will be a fantastic addition to your team! I have attached my resume and cover letter,
please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have or to set up an interview on 778-XXX-XXXX.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Your name
(778)-XXX-XXXX
Email address
LinkedIn profile URL

39. administrative
• Turnitin registration:
– T04: Class ID: 13698568, Enrollment Password: bubbles
– T10: Class ID: 13699049, Enrollment Password: bubbles
• Thanksgiving holiday (for T04):
– Make up class: Wednesday, 3-4PM

40. action items
• sign up for office hours!
• cover letter draft due next tutorial!
– bring 2 copies + your job posting!
• skills matrix due Friday, Oct. 14th @ 2PM
on Turnitin
• tutorial next week!
Puppy of the week!