You never have a second chance to create a first good impression. That is why the cover letter is so important. The cover letter is your opportunity to put your good foot forward and impress the reader enough to make them want to turn the page and read more. This PowerPoint will explain how an affective cover should be written.

1. THE
COVER
LETTER
DEBRA MANENTE, M.ED., CPRW
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF C.S.
CAREER SERVICES CENTER
NORTH HALL, ROOM 103

2. TODAY YOU WILL LEARN
• What is a Cover Letter
• Optimal Resume
• How to prep your cover letter
• Mistakes to avoid

3. WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

4. OPTIMAL RÉSUMÉ
https://post.optimalresume.com/

5. 1. Take the job
description and
highlight or
circle the
requirements,
skills, and
keywords that
are important.
2. Analyze the job
description and
show how you
meet their
needs.

6. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER

7. JOB REQUIREMENT/KEYWORDS HOW DO I QUALIFY?
Fast-paced Worked at McDonalds
Self-starter, work independently Classes – required to work within deadlines and
follow strict research guidelines; GPA 3.7
Website development, branding,
marketing
Internship – Kept company intranet updated and
accurate. Logged hundreds of hours
researching marketing trends, branding
techniques, and topics related to website
development then presented the findings to the
advertising staff - required to write weekly
reports.
Strong communication skills: writing,
verbal
Internship - Wrote weekly reports and presented
minutes at weekly meetings
Time management skills - Can prioritize
and is organized
McDonalds – Had to prioritize and be organized
to survive working at McDonalds
Computer skills Accustomed to working with Microsoft Office
applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
Publisher, Outlook
Leadership skills Acted as shift leader and trainer at McDonalds

8.  The body of your cover letter is custom to the
specific job you are applying to:
1. Analyze the job – both the noted and
assumed needs – and determine the most
important skills the employer is looking for
2. Write your letter in a way that it “qualifies”
you for the job.
PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…

9. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…
November 6, 2014
Ms. Jane Doe
ABC Company
100 Country Club Road
Waterbury, CT 06723
Dear Ms. Doe:
I am interested in the <job title> position at <name of
company>. I have outlined my high level qualifications in
response to your job description and have included my
resume for your review.
I believe I am a strong fit for this position because my
strengths are in the area of, _____, _____, and ____.

10.  What are your skills and
accomplishments?
 Why are you a good fit?
 What do you have to offer?
 Show highlights of your
experience
PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…

11. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…
Highlights of my experience include:
• Answered phones
• Filled customer orders
• Took out the trash
• Open and closed the restaurant
• Cleaned machines
• Stocked shelves and supplies

12. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…
Highlights of my experience include:
• Answered phones
• Filled customer orders
• Took out the trash
• Open and closed the restaurant
• Cleaned machines
• Stocked shelves and supplies

13. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…
Highlights of my experience include:
• Prioritized while working within strict deadlines;
maintained a 3.5 GPA while attending school and
working full-time
• Logged hundreds of hours while researching
marketing trends, branding techniques, and topics
related to website development
• Gained strong communication skills while writing
reports and presenting minutes at weekly meetings
• Communicated with a wide range of diversity while
working at McDonalds

14. PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…
Highlights of my experience include:
• Prioritized while working within strict deadlines;
maintained a 3.5 GPA while attending school and
working full-time
• Logged hundreds of hours while researching
marketing trends, branding techniques, and topics
related to website development
• Gained strong communication skills while writing
reports and presenting minutes at weekly meetings
• Communicated with a wide range of diversity while
working at McDonalds

15. Wrap It Up
 State your desire to have a follow-
up meeting/interview/phone call
 Include contact information
PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…

16. I would like to meet with you to discuss
the valuable contributions I can bring to
your organization.
I can be reached at <phone number>, or
<email address>. I look forward to
hearing from you.
Sincerely,
John Deer
PREP YOUR COVER LETTER…

17.  Cute letters
 Addressed wrong
 Not qualifying yourself
 Graphics or pictures
 Arrogance
AVOID

18.  Being longer than one page
 Wordy letters
 Generic letters
 Sending letters without a
resume
AVOID…

19. TODAY YOU LEARNED
• What is a Cover Letter
• Optimal Resume
• How to prep your cover letter
• Mistakes to avoid

20. OUR NEXT WORKSHOP
WRITE A WINNING RESUME
Thursday, November 13, 2014
North Hall, Room 208
1:00 pm to 2:20 pm

21. WE CAN HELP
•Résumé writing
•Letter writing
•Effective interviewing
•Job search strategies should you want:
• Full-Time/Part-Time employment
• Internships
• Winter/Summer employment

22. Optimal Resume =
https://post.optimalresume.com/
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