Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Resumes/Letters
experience, extracurricular involvement (on- and off-
campus) and travel.
Use paper that matches your resume
Write an original cover letter for each employer
and position Cover Letters for Independent Applications
State in the first sentence why you are writing You will also write cover letters to employers that you identify
in your independent job search. Through networking or
Show that you know your career goals, the research, you will learn of specific openings and/or job titles
position and the employers organization which interest you. Be sure to indicate in the first paragraph
Demonstrate originality and enthusiasm what position(s) youre seeking.
Proofread for typos and accuracy of address Follow the three steps listed above to compose your letter,
and telephone numbers incorporating these variations:
Run Spell Check on your computer before
If a specific person alerted you to the job opening, include
you print your final copy, but remember that it that persons name and professional affiliation (e.g.,
cannot detect the wrong form of the word or a Professor Jane Seymore in Berkeleys Civil Engineering
homonym Department suggested I contact you about your Sanitary
Type or computer print envelopes Engineer opening). Employers receive many letters and
resumes; they are more likely to read letters that mention
Keep photocopies of all materials for your specific people they know.
records
If you are inquiring about possible openings, you are sending
an Inquiry or Prospecting Letter. Address your letter to a
Dont specific individual, generally the person who supervises the
Make the letter more than one page functional area youre applying to. Be as specific as possible
about the positions youre interested in. Ideally, your
Use generic, all-purpose cover letters never research will reveal the job titles used by this employer. If
copy cover letters not, at least use commonly understood generic job titles in
Be long-winded; make your points succinctly the field. The more specific you are, the more youll impress
the employer that youve done your homework, that you
Exaggerate your skills or experience know what the employer needs and what you have to offer.
Tell the reader why you are writing (i.e., regarding the position in which you are interested; if appropriate,
indicate how you learned of the position and/or organization). State when you will be available.
Explain why you have targeted this particular organization: in so doing, demonstrate your knowledge of its
products, services and operations. (This means you must research the potential employer.) Stress what you have
to offer, not what you want from, the employer. Identify those parts of your experience (paid or non-paid) which
will be of interest to this employer. Students and recent graduates should draw attention to relevant course work,
special projects and campus activities. In some cases, you will add detail to items included in your resume. Refer
the reader to your enclosed resume for additional information.
Demonstrate your understanding of the duties of the position in which you are interested, and state how your
unique qualifications fit the position.
Request an interview appointment, or tell the reader that you will contact him/her soon in order to see if you can
schedule a mutually convenient appointment. If the employer is some distance away, indicate when you would be
available for an interview. (For example, if you will be traveling to the employers location during an academic
holiday, indicate the days you will be in that area.) Thank the reader for his/her time and consideration.
Sincerely,
This information may also
be set at left margin. Sign your name here
Type your name
Enclosure
40 career.berkeley.edu