Cover Letters

[syllabus] [calendar]

The purpose of today's activity is to discuss the best strategies for constructing a cover letter that demonstrates how the applicant's qualifications match the goals and qualification articulated by the potential employer.

Before Class

• In PWOnline read about Cover Letters (with the two links about format and content).

During Class

• The instructor will provide each group with a different resume (hard copy).

• Go online and look at the following sites:
  • Job Ad
  • Company
• For this situation, you are going to help the person whose resume that you have apply for the job listed in the job ad. Since the applicant already has a resume, you are going to help the applicant write a cover letter.
• Discuss how this applicant should develop a cover letter for this job; use the following prompts to guide your discussion. (Take notes to answer these questions)
  • What qualifications (personal, skills, expertise, degrees) does the applicant have for the following job?
  • Based upon the company's web site, what does the company value? what are the company's goals?
  • What items listed in her/his resume will the applicant want to emphasize or discuss in more detail in this cover letter? Why?
• As a group write a cover letter that would accompany this resume, if this person were to apply for this job.
• At 10am print the letter and turn it in to the instructor with your notes; be prepared to discuss what you have done.