2. What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a document sent
with your resume to provide additional
information on your skills and
experience.
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3.  The purpose of a cover letter is to
introduce yourself to a prospective
employer and describe how your skills
and abilities match the employer's
needs.
 The cover letter acts as an introduction
to your resume and can emphasize or
further explain those aspects of your
background and skills, which most suit
the employer's needs.
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4. Parts of a Cover Letter
Contact Information
The first section of a written or
uploaded cover letter should
include your contact information:
 Your Name
 Your Address
 Your City, State, Zip Code
 Your Phone Number
 Your Email Address
 Date
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5. Employer Contact
Information
If you have contact information for
the employer, list it below your
contact information.
 Name
 Title
 Company
 Address
 City, State, Zip Code
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6. Cover Letter
Salutation
It's important to include an
appropriate salutation at the
beginning of the cover letter or
message. If you have a contact
person for your letter, be sure to
include their name in your letter.
General Salutations for Cover Letters
 Dear Hiring Manager
 To whom it may concern
 Dear Human Resources Manager
 Dear Sir or Madam
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7. Cover Letter Body
1. First Paragraph
The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why
you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where
you saw the listing. Include the name of a contact, if you have one.
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8. Cover Letter Body
2. Middle Paragraphs
The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to
offer the employer. Make strong connections between your
qualifications and the position requirements. Mention specifically how
your skills and experience match the job you are applying for. Use
several shorter paragraphs or a bulleted list of your qualifications
rather than one large block of text.
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9. Sample Middle Paragraph
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10. Cover Letter Body
3. Final
Paragraph
Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for
the position. Include information on how you will follow-up, if you have enough
contact information to do so.
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11. Cover Letter Closing
The following is a list of letter
closing examples that are
appropriate for cover letters and
employment related
correspondence.
 Sincerely
 Sincerely yours
 Regards
 Best regards
 Kind regards
 Yours truly
 Most sincerely
 Respectfully
 Respectfully yours
 Thank you
 Thank you for your consideration
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12. Cover Letter
Document Signatures
When you send a paper cover
letter or upload a document to a
job site to apply for a job you need
less information in your signature
than in an email message,
because the heading of your cover
letter includes your contact
information.
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13. Chronological Resume
 a summary of facts about you.
 a description of your academic history,
volunteer and work experience, organized
in reverse chronological order beginning with
the most recent job and working backwards to
the least recent job.
 best used if you have a long, continuous work
history in the same field, with jobs similar to
the one that your applying for.
 a document that emphasizes dates - not very
good if you have few jobs, jobs unrelated to
each other, or have had "gaps" or "holes" in
your work history.
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14. Parts of a Chronological Resume
1. Identification
 contains your full name
 campus and permanent address (if necessary) with postal
code
 area code and telephone number(s).
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15. 2. Career or Job Objective
 brief statement describing exactly what you want
to do.
 with broad goals or consideration of unrelated
jobs, a career objective can be stated in a cover
letter.
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16. 3. Work Experience
 list in reverse chronological order the name and location of
previous employer, job title, and responsibilities.
 briefly summarize accomplishments -- use action verbs
 Use these action verbs in the past tense for past jobs and
the gerund (ing-form) for your present jobs.
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17. 4. Activities and Honors (optional)
 can also be titled "Awards and Honors," "Extracurricular
Activities", "Professional Affiliations," "Community
Activities," "Hobbies and Interest," etc.
 usually presented in list form with dates
 do not abbreviate names of clubs or organizations
 can be titled "Posts of Responsibility" if you want to
emphasize the offices and any leadership positions you have
held.
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18. Cover letter and Chronological Resume 18

19. 5. References (optional)
 can also be called "Further Information".
 Indicates where potential employers can learn more
about you, such as references from professors.
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