College Of Engineering Graduate Student Cover Letter (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

College Of Engineering Graduate Student Cover Letter Page 3

Cover Letter Writing Checklist

Once you have drafted a cover letter, check your document against the below checklist to ensure

you have the appropriate content. We strongly encourage you to have your cover letter reviewed by a

career consultant as well.

 Formatting:

o Entire document uses one inch margins

o Paragraphs are short, concise and direct

o Heading includes your address and contact information, followed by the date, and employer’s name and

address

o Salutation is formal: Using the hiring manager’s name if known OR a general salutation such as Dear

Hiring Manager or Dear Recruitment Team

o Total document is One Page or less

o Cover Letter is free of grammatical and spelling errors

 Introduction:

o Names the position for which you are applying

o States your degree, major, college affiliation and graduation date

o Last sentence makes a strong claim about your candidacy that previews 1‐3 qualifications you discuss in

the body paragraphs

o Qualifications listed directly correlate to the job description for the position to which you have written

the letter

 Body Paragraphs:

o The 1‐3 qualifications highlighted in the introduction align to the body paragraphs topics, with one

qualification highlighted per paragraph

o Qualifications or skills gained from experiences are presented, not just the experiences themselves

o Focuses on connecting your past and present skills, qualifications and education to the company and/or

position (i.e. your future)

o Specifics are provided and generalities are avoided

o Does not simply restate the resume

o Strong action verbs are used

 Conclusion:

o Reminds your reader why you are a strong match for the position

o Mentions the other documents you are enclosing and/or the application you have submitted and the

documents within

o Includes a call to action‐‐requests an interview, refers to future contact, etc.

o Provides your contact information

o Thanks the reader for their time and consideration

College Of Engineering Graduate Student Cover Letter Page 3