Writing a Compelling Cover Letter

Cover letters are typically considered less important documents than resumes and therefore, receive less attention. However, a well-written letter can help create a compelling reason for a hiring manager to respond to you and may tip the scale in your favor if your competition chooses not to use one.

The purpose of a resume is to communicate your accomplishments, experiences, education, and skills. The purpose of a cover letter is to explain to a hiring manager how your accomplishments, experiences, education, and skills add value to the specific needs of the organization or business. Simply put, a cover letter gives a compelling reason for the hiring manager to interview you.

A cover letter for an internship should answer four questions.

    Why am I a good fit for your organization?
    How are my qualifications well-matched for an internship within the organization?
    Why now?
    What should be the next step in pursuing an interview?

The answers you provide to these questions help the hiring manager understand how your resume fits the specific requirements of the internship. A cover letter allows you to draw similarities between your past and the employer's present needs. This helps the company understand how your skills, abilities and education can benefit the organization. A cover letter offers directions that point out how your strengths can be incorporated into the organization.

Keep in mind, a cover letter should be written with a focus on the employer's interests, NOT yours.

[For more information about cover letters, visit our Letters to Employers page. http://www.rit.edu/emcs/oce/students/letters-employers ]

Source: Internships.com

Tips for Cold Emailing for a Job

Here are few ways you can—carefully, intelligently—reach out:
1. Be Unselfish

The tone of your message should not be how you expect to personally benefit (gain experience, learn and grow) from the job -- but rather what you can do for them. What do you bring to the table? How ready you are to hit the ground running? Employers really don't want to hear how they can help you -- they want to hear how hiring you will help them.

2. Be humble

Yes, you are your own advocate, but know the time and place for self-promotion. Reaching out to someone you don't know is a good time to tone it down. Emphasize your interest in the company, and the opportunity you see to specifically do great work with them. Include a few facts to get them interested.

3. Be polite

Mention that you sent materials and wanted to make sure they received it.

Keep in mind that people are very busy and multi-tasking, never give the impression you are annoyed because you haven't received an immediate response to your email.

4. Be pleasant

In person, would you launch into an elevator pitch before saying hello? Greetings are very important, especially when asking for something (which is really what you're doing when introducing yourself regarding a job).


5. Be professional

This is less about "sounding" professional (ie. using jargon, formal letter structure), than it is about respecting corporate culture by:

• Keeping your email concise and as short as possible, and
• Using proper grammar, capitalization, and spelling.

New! Mobile Version of Job Zone Interface

Students/alumni will be able to apply for jobs, register for events, update their profiles, sign up for interviews, look up employers, and more using their mobile devices. This mobile version of the student/alumni interface is automatically available if you use a mobile device to access Job Zone. Give it a go!