Cover Letters

Getting an employer’s attention by

showing Who you are.
Purpose:
 Promote yourself
 Show why you are a beneficial fit for the position,
highlighting how you meet the requirements
 Show how well you will fit with the organization
 Help the employer see you are the right person for
them and their team.
 Keep it employer focused
Tailor your cover letter for each job posting
 Does it answer this
question:

“WHY SHOULD I HIRE

YOU?”
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A
GOOD COVER LETTER
Makes a good first impression

Direct and to the point

1 page or less

Font and style match your resume

 COMMON PITFALLS
 Overuse of “I” statements
 Don’t focus on what you want
 Failure to market yourself according to the job
requirements
 A boring reiteration of the resume
 Failure to show your attitude, passion,
motivation or inspiration
 Improper spelling, sentence and paragraph
structure
 Know where you’re going
before you begin…

 Analyze the job posting to ensure you are

directly responding to what the employer is
asking for in a prospective candidate

“When all else fails, Read the instructions”

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Once you know what an
employer is looking for and
what you have to offer,
then you’re ready to create
your cover letter.

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COVER LETTER STRUCTURE
• Your Name, Address with Postal Code, Phone
Number and Email
• Date
• Contact Name and Company Address and Postal
Code
• Re: (Optional)
• Salutation
• Body of cover letter
• Closing
How do you write a cover letter?

Cover letters follow a very specific format. Once you

understand the format, writing a cover letter is relatively
simple. A cover letter has three main sections, each of
which can simply be its own paragraph.

The first section introduces yourself, identifies the job

you’re applying for, and explains how you found out
about the position. The Cover Letter needs to state
student is seeking a Co-op or experiential learning
experience. The Co-op’s time frame i.e. beginning of May
2020 – end of August 2020 in the contents of the first
paragraph. You could also state just the month your 4
month Co-op would begin.
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 Thesecond section outlines your inspiration for doing this
work and your reasons for growing in this field. Promote
your training, skills, knowledge. What makes you a good
candidate or beneficial fit. This is where you can market
yourself with words. If you’re passionate about your field
you should explain it, demonstrate it in words, and describe
how these will relate to the job you’re applying for.

 Thethird section Thanks the reader for their time and

requests an interview by phone or in person.

INTRODUCTION
INSPIRATION AND PASSION FOR THE WORK, WHY YOU ARE
GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO
THANK YOU AND REQUEST AN INTERVIEW
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Make it easy for an employer to
contact you

Regards, (then 2 spaces)

Your Name
Phone number
Email Address

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MARKETING YOURSELF
Focus on the employer’s job requirements,
refer to the job posting
Demonstrate how your education, experience
and skills make you a qualified candidate for
the job, give real examples
Show your motivation to do well in this field,
what inspires you to be the best
Show your “WHY”
INTRODUCTION 1ST Paragraph

This is the purpose of your letter.

What position are you applying for?
How did you find out about the opening?
Example:
Please accept my resume for the position of Job Title and ID
number as advertised on Website name: (put link here to show
accuracy) (If you put a link, make sure it works)

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EDUCATION
Discuss what have you gained from your post secondary education
that qualifies you for the position.

 “Currently, I am enrolled in the Business Management –

Human Resources post-graduate program at Lambton
College through which I have gained a solid working
knowledge of...”

 “While studying Financial Planning and Wealth Management

at Lambton College, I learned to develop a personal
portfolio based on a client’s capacity for investing and their
personal needs and risk tolerance. This is a great tool to
help people find hope in their futures.”
BE SPECIFIC!
• Provide specific details and examples of your
qualifications, training and experience

• Include skills you are currently learning in your

program

• Include specific employment information and

skills and accomplishments
EXPERIENCE and SKILLS

What specific experience and skills have you

gained from work, volunteering, recreational
activities etc. that qualify you for the position?

“ While working as a Customer Service

Representative at Atelka, I developed
excellent interpersonal skills and was
able to manage customers’ problems
and offer effective solutions”…
CLOSING
Thank the reader,
I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with
you to discuss how my skills fit with your
requirements. Please contact me at your earliest
convenience. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. I

look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Regards,
Week #5 – Online Work
WATCH – Presenting in a Team
Login to https://www.linkedin.com/learning/login-ent?u=56968457 and access the
playlist Presenting in a Team
 Watch the full playlist using this link
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/presenting-as-a-team/welcome?u=56968457

 WATCH – Present Like Steve Jobs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-ntLGOyHw4

QUIZ – complete the Moodle Quiz (Presentation Skills – Week #5 quiz)

You only have one attempt, so once you open it you must complete it
You only have 20 minutes to complete the quiz