Cover Letters & Thank You Notes Agenda Reasoning behind the Cover Letter Formats Cover Letter

ter Templates Technical Tips Cover Letter/Resume Review Thank you notes Fine Tuning Career Resources Reasons for the Cover Letter Illustrate your fit with the organization. Communicate your storyhow you came to this point. Cover Letter Should Include: Why should they read the resume? Why should they interview me? Why am I interested in the position? What is the next step? Cover Letter Formats Basic - Three Paragraph P1 - Who am I and why am I writing (see Differentiate Your Letter in Cover Letter Writing Tips) P2 - What skills do I have to offer and how can the company use them Include the Yale SOM experience. P3 - Indicate what you want next Thank the contact.

Cover Letter Formats

November 16, 1999 Mr. Pierce F. Smith Merrill Lynch Investment Banking, Human Resources 123 Highland Street New York, NY 10251 Dear Mr. Smith: I am leveraging my legal experience, communication skills, and energy to pursue a career in investment banking. I attended Merrill Lynch's campus presentation on September 17 at Yale SOM and since that time have conducted additional research into the firm and its culture. I believe that Merrill's client-focused and teamoriented environment is one for which I would be well suited. For these reasons, I am writing to request an interview for a Summer Associate position in investment banking For the past three years I worked as a commercial litigator in a law firm specializing in litigation and arbitration in the airline industry. I thrived in that climate because of my ability to adapt quickly to changing environments, to build relationships with a sophisticated international and domestic clientele, and to assume immediate and far-ranging responsibilities in an entrepreneurial setting. The firm's success, and my success within a team environment, were in large part due to our commitment, our focus upon building long-term client relationships, and our execution of effective solutions to clients' complex litigation issues. In my first year at Yale SOM, I am taking an intensive course load in accounting and finance and participating in the structuring and management of a student-run venture capital fund. Combining my experience in a demanding entrepreneurial environment with rigorous coursework in finance and accounting will enable me to make an impact as a Summer Associate. I would greatly appreciate being included on your upcoming Yale interview schedule. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Henry Zhang Enclosure Cover Letter Formats Basic Bullets P1 - Who am I and why am I writing (see Tip Note) P2 - Bullet points on skills (Include the Yale SOM experience.) P3 - Indicate what you want next Thank the contact. Cover Letter Formats Alternative Framework #1 I AM your background I CAN skill set YOU GET firms gains by hiring me Cover Letter Formats Alternative Framework #2 WHY READ connection to position WHY ME memory aid skill set WHY YOU background and link to firm WHAT NEXT actions desired Cover Letter Template Determine the framework you want to use. Experiment with different versions. Use CDO examples as a guide. Do not copy sections word for word Length: One page Font: Same as your resume. Technical Tips Each letter must be customized Firm specific Personal/Professional Contacts where possible What you like about the firm Always include a cover letter even if the company says it is optional. More Tips

Eliminate Poor grammar and punctuation Misspelled words Do not try to be cute or clever These often backfire Often appear unprofessional Cut and paste can backfire

Review. Review. Review. Check for visual appeal of the cover letter with the resume. Avoid widows and orphans. Be careful using jargon. Thank you notes Why should they be sent? To reaffirm your interest. To remind the interviewer of who you are several days after the interview. To mention something you might have omitted during the interview. Thank you notes When are they appropriate? After every job interview. After every informational interview. After someone has done a favor for you (i.e. referred your resume to someone else, given you a name to call, etc.) Thank you notes When should they be sent? As quickly as possible. Preferably within twenty-four hours of the interview or meeting. Email is acceptable. Thank you notes What should it say? Thank you letters should be short and to the point. Thank the interviewer for meeting with you. Mention some things that you discussed in the interview that are of particular interest to you. Add something that you may not have mentioned in the interview that you feel is relevant. Reaffirm your interest in the position and the company.

Fine Tuning Get your friends to look at your resume. If English is not your first language, be sure to have a native English speaker review it. Have your CDO Career Counselor, a member of the CDO Staff, AND other first and second years review your cover letter. Talk to me, your Writing Consultant. Make an appointment during office hours. Also, you may consult SOMs Tutor-in-Writing, Deborah Tenney and her Student Writing Consultants.

Carpet Bomb Reminder Show your document to one person and incorporate the recommended changes before passing it along to someone else for review. Alternatives: Cover letter swaps SIG sponsored training sessions Career Resources Sign up for online newsletters: www.thevault.com www.wetfeet.com www.jobtrak.com (and any other sites you can find)