Formatting Your Cover Letter
Separate yourself from your competition, start with formatting.
Structure & Formalities
A cover letter with sufficient white space, a simple, reasonably sized font, and an appropriate salutation and closing will positively impact your potential employers. Get locked into the necessary formatting to set your cover letter up for success.
Keep Reading to Learn:
- Structure hints for cover letter development
- Different forms of organizing content
- Writing tips to make your points stand-out
Cover Letter Example #1
Taylor S. Tailor
taylor.tailor@stthomas.edu, (651)-567-8910, linkedin.com/taylor.s.tailor
August 15, 2020
Ms. Jo Anne Roberts
Director of Sales
MN Apps Inc.
2000 Excelsior Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Dear Ms. Roberts:
I am very interested in the Technical Sales Representative internship position that is currently posted on the St. Thomas Career Development Center’s web page. I will be graduating next spring with a major in Marketing, and my hope is to work in sales. I am especially interested in working with an organization such as MN Technology Sales that separates itself from the competition by emphasizing a collaborative approach to customer relations.
As the enclosed resume indicates, I have had internship and other experiences which have given me exposure to a variety of work environments. This past summer I was able to support the sales department in a mid-sized business, helping them to increase their revenue by 10%. I’ve also had the opportunity to develop strong communication and teamwork skills through my volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity.
One of my more challenging work experiences has been as an Orientation Leader at the University of St. Thomas. I was responsible for leading groups of incoming first year students through a day’s worth of activities to help them get prepared for the college experience, which was both challenging and rewarding. In this position I had the opportunity to develop and strengthen strong presentation skills as well as an ability to maintain flexibility and demonstrate excellent judgment and leadership skills.
I am looking forward to discussing the Technical Sales Representative position with you. I will call you early next week to follow-up on my application. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Taylor S. Tailor
Formatting & Writing Tips
| Letter Content | Tips |
|---|---|
| Header: name and contact information | Use the header from your resume to create your own personal "letterhead!" |
| August 15, 2020 | This should be the date you are writing/submitting the letter. |
| Ms. Jo Anne Roberts, Director of Sales MN Apps Inc. 2000 Excelsior Boulevard Minneapolis, MN 55401 | This is the name and address of the person you're sending the letter to. Not your own. |
| Dear Ms. Roberts: | If you aren’t certain of the person’s gender or wish to be more inclusive, you can choose to address the letter without Mr. or Ms.; i.e. “Dear Jo Anne Roberts." |
| I am very interested in the Technical Sales Representative internship position that is currently posted on the St. Thomas Career Development Center’s web page. I will be graduating next spring with a major in Marketing, and my hope is to work in sales. I am especially interested in working with an organization such as MN Technology Sales that separates itself from the competition by emphasizing a collaborative approach to customer relations. | Notice: connecting interest to philosophy obtained from company research. |
| As the enclosed resume indicates, I have had internship and other experiences which have given me exposure to a variety of work environments. This past summer I was able to support the sales department in a mid-sized business, helping them to increase their revenue by 10%. I’ve also had the opportunity to develop strong communication and teamwork skills through my volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity. | Notice: summarizing, more than simply restating, important qualifications and experience from resume. |
| One of my more challenging work experiences has been as an Orientation Leader at the University of St. Thomas. I was responsible for leading groups of incoming first year students through a day’s worth of activities to help them get prepared for the college experience, which was both challenging and rewarding. In this position I had the opportunity to develop and strengthen strong presentation skills as well as an ability to maintain flexibility and demonstrate excellent judgment and leadership skills. | Notice: Telling a story, proving by way of a specific example, a connection between experience and readiness for position. |
| I am looking forward to discussing the Technical Sales Representative position with you. I will call you early next week to follow-up on my application. Thank you for your time. | Notice: Indicating intention to and a general time-frame for following-up. |
| Sincerely, Taylor S. Tailor | Sign-off |
Cover Letter Example #2
1314 Berkeley Avenue Saint Paul, MN 〉 55116651-555-2020 〉 djhuert2525@stthomas.edu
April 17, 2020
Alex Jones
St. Paul Museum of Art
2000 Big City Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Dear Alex Jones,
I am writing to express my interest in the Event Assistant Internship that you have listed on the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits Job Board. I am an English major at the University of St. Thomas and am hoping to spend my summer developing skills and experience in the field of event planning. I would especially welcome the opportunity to combine my passion for the arts with my strong detail and results-driven orientation. My interest in the arts was sparked by my first part-time job, working at the Lakes Theater. For the past two years, I have also been involved as a volunteer at the Minneapolis Film Festival, which has confirmed for me that I enjoy and thrive on the excitement of creative environments and people. Below is an outline of how my qualifications relate to the position:
| Your Requirements | My Qualifications |
|---|---|
| Past experience arranging meetings, travel and/or events | • Arrange travel (vehicle rental and lodging) for 20 members of the intramural volleyball team at the University of St. Thomas |
| Strong written and oral communication skills | • Conducted research for English major,producing 40+ pages of written content and presenting findings at two local conferences • Provide information and answer questions to prospective students and families in a professional manner as a Tommie Ambassador |
| Excellent time management skills | • Work two part-time jobs (20 hours/week), participate in an intramural sport, and volunteer weekly while maintaining a full course load |
Next Steps
- Draft a tailored cover letter for specific roles you are interested in
- Have it reviewed by a career peer in the Career Development Center