Sample Resume Templates (Page 13 of 18) in pdf

Cover Letters

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a letter that accompanies your résumé that serves as an introduction of your skills and qualifications. The

most important thing about a cover letter is that it matches your experience and skills to the position criteria. Therefore, it’s

necessary to write a specific cover letter for each position to which you apply. DO NOT WRITE A GENERIC COVER

LETTER. Review the position, and determine the most important elements of the job, and try to match the skills and

experience you possess to that specific job. You want to cite specific instances when you have used that experience on the

job, rather than just providing a laundry list of your accomplishments. If you can prove your experience, rather than just

state your experience, you will stand out to potential employers.

A cover letter should always be sent if you are applying to a full-time job, regardless of if the job announcement cites the

need for a cover letter; for an internship, a cover letter may not always be necessary, so check the posting. If you are

applying through Symplicity, all cover letters need to be approved by the Rockefeller College Office of Career & Alumni

Programs.

In certain cases, you may not be applying to a specific position, but instead, inquiring if there are any available positions.

If that is the situation, then you should focus on the organization’s mission or services and how you could contribute to their

goals.

Cover Letter Guidelines



Limit your cover letter to 1 page, single spaced.



Always personalize your cover letter for a specific job – DO NOT WRITE A GENERIC COVER LETTER.



Proofread your cover letter before sending it out! Any mistake or grammatical error can result in rejection.



If you are emailing your cover letter, attach your cover letter and résumé to the email. Do not use the cover

letter as the body of your email. Instead, write a brief message stating that your cover letter and résumé are

attached.



If you are mailing or printing your cover letter, use résumé paper.



Address your cover letter to a specific person, whenever possible. Contact the organization and request the

name of the appropriate contact person. If you absolutely cannot identify a person, use “Dear Hiring

Manager” or “Dear Internship Coordinator”.



Do not focus on what you would like to gain out of the internship, instead focus on what you have to offer to

the organization and position.



Use the active, not the passive tense.



Do not staple your resume to your cover letter.



Demonstrate your skills and qualifications through concrete examples. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task,

Action, Result) to discuss specific times when you have used that skill.



Vary your sentence structure – avoid starting too many sentences with “I”.



Sign your letters in blue or black ink if sending via postal mail.



Keep copies of your letters for future reference.



Include information about why you would want to work for that specific organization or in that specific

position.



Highlight the fit between your skills and the position requirements.



Format your cover letter so that it matches your résumé – use the same font, headings, margins, etc.



Proofread your document and have the Rockefeller College Office of Career & Alumni Programs approve

a copy before sending it out to employers.

Sample Resume Templates Page 13

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