Cover Letter Writing

Writing Cover Letters Content & Format Guidelines Sample Letters

The Career Services Office 255 Statler Hall(607) 255-9794Fax (607) 2559540www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/students/career/

WRITING COVER LETTERS

A cover letter is a brief, one-page introduction that highlights your skills and experience by expanding upon your rsum. The letter introduces you to the company, demonstrates transferable skills you have developed, and promotes special features of your education and experience that qualify you for a particular position within the organization. For examples of ways to describe your transferable skills, see the Rsum Writing handout. A wellwritten letter distinguishes you from other applicants and is equally important as your rsum in a job search. Cover letters should always accompany your rsum when you write directly to a company or when a company requests your rsum as part of the application process it is your first chance to make a good impression with a potential employer.

CONTENT AND FORMAT An effective cover letter will state why you are writing, why you are interested, how you can meet the company's needs, and a follow-up course of action. Your letter should be written in a business-letter format and to a specific person in the organization. Write to a person who has the ability to hire you (who may or may not be someone in Human Resources). Avoid using the impersonal Dear Sir or Madam or To Whom It May Concern. Use the resources available at the Career Services Office and libraries, or call the organization to get the correct name and position. Cover letters should be clear and concisebe organized in your writing and try to limit the letter to three or four paragraphs. Cover letter examples are included in this handout.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Send all correspondence to the appropriate person. If you have any questions about to whom to address the letter, call the company and ask for the correct spelling and title. Personalization is the way to make the best impression. Your letter should communicate your potential contributions rather than your current needs. As with your rsum, be prepared to support any information you include in the cover letter. State your experience and how it may benefit the organization, but dont exaggerate. Employers are looking for people with excellent communication skills. Your cover letter demonstrates your writing skills, so be sure to pay close attention to grammar, style, and spelling. The Career Services Office staff is available to review your cover letters with you. Keep a copy of all of your cover letters. Create a file to use for easy reference and making notes regarding further contact with the prospective employer. The effectiveness of your cover letter will depend on your follow up. Call to set up an appointment as you indicated in the letter. Do not rely on the organization to get in touch with youthey may not.

E-MAILING AND FAXING JOB SEARCH CORRESPONDENCE Emailing and faxing can increase the efficiency of your job search. Its quicker and more convenient than traditional correspondence, but you must be careful how you present your information to a potential employer. This is the first impression you will make, so take steps to ensure it is a good first impression.

The Career Services Office 255 Statler Hall(607) 255-9794Fax (607) 255-9540www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/students/career/ 1

Guidelines:

Sending an email or fax to a potential employer is considered business correspondence, so be sure to use a professional, formal, business format. Potential employers will use this as an opportunity to judge your communication skills. Include your cover letter as a means of introducing your rsum - this is the time employers determine their interest in a candidate. When emailing, communicate clearly what you are looking for and summarize your skill set and experience in one or two paragraphs. If you are faxing your rsum, make your cover letter your first page. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Your letter and rsum will be printed and shown to several people. Proofread several times before sending. Finish with a professional signature including all of your contact information. Avoid using quotations or sayings; they may create an unfavorable impression. Make sure your return email address is professional and businesslike. Address and send your email or fax to the right person. Tailoring your correspondence to the appropriate contact, to a companys specific advertised position or relating your experience to the companys perceived needs will get you further than sending a generic message. Always follow up your email with a phone call or send another email; this will confirm your interest in the position. When emailing your rsum, you can either include it in your message or send it as an attachment. Sending your rsum as an attachment will ensure that your format will remain intact. Highlight a special project; this will entice your reader to carefully evaluate you as a candidate.

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THE BASICS OF THE COVER LETTER Vault, Inc 01/01/1999

Your Name Your Address Your Email Address Your Phone Number Contacts Name Contacts Info Date Dear Ms. /Mr. Contact: The first paragraph tells why youre contacting the person, then mentions your connection with that person or tells where you read about the job. It also quickly states who you are. Next it wows them with your sincere, researched knowledge of their company. The goal: demonstrating that you are a worthy applicant, and enticing them to read further. The second and optional third paragraph tell more about yourself, particularly why youre an ideal match for the job by summarizing why youre what theyre looking for. You may also clarify anything unclear on your resume. The last paragraph is your goodbye: you thank the reader for his or her time. Include that you look forward to their reply or give them a time when youll be getting in contact by phone. Sincerely, Sign Here

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SAMPLE COVER LETTER

Your Name 555 Albany Street Lexington, KY 55555 Your Email Address Your Phone Number Ms. Susan Smith Managing Editor Hospitality Today Magazine 666 North Street Atlanta, GA 66666 Date Dear Ms. Smith: I was delighted to learn of the Hospitality Today Magazine opportunity through the Career Services Office at the Cornell University Hotel School. As a senior graduating with a hospitality management degree, I am interested in utilizing my academic background along with my practical experience in this particular position. From my company and industry research, I am a confident there will be a good fit of my skills and interests with the needs of Hospitality Today Magazine. Last summer I completed a full-time internship at Ryan Hotels, a 25-unit hotel chain in the Southeast, specializing in group tours. Half of my time was spent as an assistant to the marketing director. My duties included updating our tourist brochures and writing press releases. However, I am most proud of a special assignment in which I wrote a feature article and illustrated with my own photographs. One of the newspapers that included my feature article was the Savannah Gazette in Savannah, Georgia. The other half of my time was spent rotating through operations where I gained a comprehensive knowledge of housekeeping, food and beverage, and the front desk. Through my coursework at Cornell I have gained knowledge and experience in all areas of the hospitality industry. My courses have included (e.g., Rooms Division Management, Principles of Marketing, Food and Beverage Management, and Business Communication). These courses have given me the background I need to apply to work as a position. I appreciate your time and consideration. I have enclosed my rsum for your review. I will call you the week of October 19th to further discuss this position. If you need any other information, please do not hesitate to contact me at (607) 555-1234. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Signature Andrew D. White

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SAMPLE COVER LETTER TO ALUMNI

Name (add the year they graduated if Hotel School alumnae) Title Company Address Date Dear Name: I obtained your name through the alumni directory in the Career Services Office at the Cornell Hotel School. Currently I am a (fill in your year, i.e., sophomore, junior, etc.), and I am actively seeking a (permanent or summer) position in (name area of interest and/or geographical location). Since you are an alumnus of the hotel school in this department at XYZ Hotel, I hope that you might be able to provide me with information about openings in this department (field of interest), at XYZ Hotel or know of some potential leads I might pursue. Both my academic experience along with my work experience have prepared me for a position in the (area). Last summer I completed a full-time internship at Ryan Hotels, a 25-unit hotel chain in the southeast, specializing in group tours. Half of my time was spent rotating through operations where I gained a comprehensive knowledge of housekeeping, food and beverage, and the front desk. The other half of my time was spent as an assistant to the marketing director. My duties included updating our tourist brochures and writing press releases. However, I am most proud of a special assignment in which I wrote a feature article and illustrated with my own photographs. The story depicted Ryan Hotels employees giving time to their communities and was featured in our corporate newsletter, as well as five local newspapers where Ryan Hotels are located. One of the newspapers that included my feature article was the Savannah Gazette in Savannah, Georgia. If you do not have any work experience, you may want to include a paragraph such as: To give you some background on myself, I have completed two years of academic training for a position in (field). My courses have included (e.g., Rooms Division Management, Principles of Marketing, Food and Beverage Management, and Business Communication). I am looking forward to using the knowledge I have gained in these classes in a real world work experience. I would appreciate any information you can provide me regarding possible job opportunities in XYZ department at the XYZ Hotel. I will call you within the week (usually of the date of the letter). Thank you in advance for your assistance. Sincerely,

Jane Smith 555 Albany Street Lexington, KY 55555 Your Phone Number Your Email Address

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