Cover Letters

What is a Cover Letter? A cover letter is the letter you send along with your resume when you are inquiring about possible job openings or responding to an advertisement for a position with a company. You might also use a cover letter when mailing in an application you picked up previously, or when dropping off a resume in person if you know you won't have the opportunity to talk with the person who is hiring.

What is the Purpose of a Cover Letter?

Your cover letter serves several purposes. Some of these include:

• to give a quick overview of the skills you have relevant to the job you are seeking
• to create personal interest in you as a candidate for a job
• to entice the person reading the cover letter to look at your resume
• to ensure that your resume is delivered to the appropriate person

It is unprofessional to send a resume or application through the mail without including a cover letter. The person who receives the resume or application may have no idea why you are sending it, or to whom it should be directed. A well-written cover letter shows good manners, organizational skills and professionalism.

Preparing a Cover Letter

1. Read the Job Ad

2. Analyse the details:

• Strong communication skills
• Well organized
• Pleasant phone manner
• Proficiency at Word
• Prefer Experience with Excel
• Experience with Access an asset
• Send resume to Ms. Emily Employer

3. Research the job and the company:

Learn as much as possible about the employer. This always impresses whoever is doing the hiring because so few people take the time to find out anything about a company before applying.

At the very least, the name of the company and the name and position of the person to whom the resume is addressed should be shown and should be spelled correctly.

Useful research tools are the Internet, flyers, brochures and advertisements.

4. Write your cover letter to fit the job:

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The above is general information designed to provide a basic understanding of this topic. For further assistance, we invite you to contact our Employment Services Centre where we have additional resources and staff available to help you.

*If you would like to view additional on-line resources for this topic, try Government of Canada - Jobs, Workers, Training & Careers

  The Government of Canada has contributed funding to this initiative

Nanette Longo Employment Consultant Tel: (250) 753-5503 (ext 2) Fax: (250) 753-4250 E-mail: nlongo@cvims.org