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Under Pressure:WRITING YOUR COVER
LETTER
Olga RakhmatullovaCounter-Trafficking Unit IOM Mission in Ukraine
Plan
What is cover letter? Why cover letter?How a cover letter should look? What should be in a cover letter?Cover letter checklistFUN and LEARNING
What is Cover Letter?
A document that accompanies your resume when applying for jobs/internships
Why Cover Letter? To personalize your resume; Highlight specific information about you
and the Company that make two of you a perfect fit
Prepare for Writing:Gather facts on yourself, company job
Read an advertisement; highlight main requirements and duties
Make a list of your achievements, experiences and coursework that correspond to the job description
Do formal research on the companyDo informal research on the position
EXERCISE 1“JOB-COMPANY-YOU”
How should a Cover Letter look?
Keep your letter to one side of A4Use clear, readable and professional fontAim for no more than 4-5 paragraphs, keep
sentences shortMake sure you your letter has good margins;
put 2 spaces between paragraphs to make a letter look neat
Use “Madam/Sir” or “Internship Coordinator” or similar of no names are provided
What should be in a cover letter?MAIN RULES:
Keep it brief, get across important pointsMake it confident, positive and enthusiasticAvoid repetition of information stated in your resume
(rather supplement it)Address it to the person, not organizationRefer reader to CV where relevantEnsure you include all contact informationHave people you trust proofread itDOUBLECHECK for misspellings and typos
What should be in a cover letter?Paragraph 1
2-3 sentences in lengthState what position you are applying for,
where you learned about itMention any personal contacts with the
companyCreate interest by stating in one sentence
why you think you will do a good match for the position
EXERCISE 2“INTRODUCTORY
PARAGRAPH”
What should be in a cover letter?Paragraph 2-3
3-5 sentences in lengthEmphasize a match between the skills and
expertise you possess and Employer’s requirements
Present your achievements (both academic and professional) that relate to the position you are applying for
EXERCISE 3“THE BODY OF YOUR
COVER LETTER”
What should be in a cover letter?Paragraph 4
Thank for the time and consideration
State your availability datesProvide information on how to
contact you to receive additional information
EXERCISE 4“CONCLUDING YOUR
COVER LETTER”
How to make your Cover Letter Stronger?
Giver preference to active rather than passive voice (“I presented industry analysis” rather than “case analysis was presented by me”)
Prefer verbs to adjectivesProvide evidence/examples for your
statementsDon’t begin every sentence with I
Cover letter checklist
Done your research on the company Addressed your covering letter to the right person Used an easy-to-read font Stated what the job is and where you saw it advertised Made it clear why you want to work for them and
why your skills match the job Reflected the job advertisement's tone Made yourself sound positive and enthusiastic Kept it clear and brief, with good presentation Checked and double-checked for errors
Useful links
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/work/applications/content_check.shtml
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/550/06/
http://www.reslady.com/coverletters.html http://www.susanireland.com/letterguide/rule
s.html
http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/output/page219.asp