How to write a cover letter in 6 steps

Here are six simple steps to writing a great cover letter. In the sections below, we'll offer detailed
information about what to include in each area with examples.

1. Start with your header

As with any standard business letter header, you should include a few pieces of personal and role-
specific information at the top of your cover letter to make it easier for a hiring manager or recruiter to
follow up with you. If you'd like, you can center your name and address at the top of the page, mirroring
how it looks on your resume.

Header template:

• Your name

• Your city and ZIP code

• Your phone number

• Your email address

• Date

• Name of recipient

• Title of recipient

• Company name

• Company address

Header example:

Ali Lang
[email protected]
555 Orchard Lane, Las Vegas, NV(555) 888-4000

May 5, 20XX

Terry Washington
Revolve Inc.
123 Vineyard Drive, Las Vegas, NV

2. Include a greeting

In your research, try to find the name of the person reviewing applications for the job. Address your
letter to this person with a common business greeting, such as "Dear [first and last name]" or "Dear
[position title]." Avoid using "To whom it may concern."

Greetings example:

• Dear Hiring Manager,

 • Dear Tyler Wallace,

3. Write an opening paragraph

In the first paragraph, mention the job title you're applying for and where you saw the position posting.
Explain your interest in the role and company to show you've done your research. The first section of
your cover letter is also the first impression the reader will have of you, so it's important to appeal to
that person quickly and succinctly.

Opening paragraph example:

"I'm excited to apply for the Graphic Designer position at Cloud Clearwater I found on Indeed. I
understand you're currently adding several new product lines, and I believe my skills in video and
animation provide a significant advantage for creating a successful launch. As a longtime fan of your
products, I'm thrilled at the opportunity to bring my unique style and passion for beachwear to the
company."

4. Add a second paragraph

Your second paragraph should be a brief overview of your background as it relates to the position.
Include key achievements, skills and specialties that make you particularly suited to the position. Focus
on one or two and provide specific details about your success, including measurable impacts you made.

Pay close attention to keywords listed in the job description and include those you identify with in the
body of your cover letter. You should only include information about your most recent professional
experiences.

Second paragraph example:

"As the Director of Human Resources at Wes Morgan Philips, I was a key senior leader in the organization
and was responsible for improving the efficiency and performance of the company's 540 employees.
Before that, I worked in human resources, equal employment opportunity and diversity for Jenkins
Technology Solutions, Inc. At Jenkins Technology, I developed an employee retention plan involving a
wellness program, an internal training program and a promotions selection process. This led to a 50%
reduction in the overall employee turnover rate."

5. Finish with a closing paragraph

The closing paragraph should focus on another key achievement or skill relevant to the position. Instead
of repeating details from your resume, summarize a specific story or anecdote that displays you're right
for the role. If you're changing careers, this is a good opportunity to talk about transferable skills or
relatable experiences from your career.

Closing paragraph example:

"Achieving ambitious marketing goals is always a top priority, and I am always looking out for the
company's best interests. I enjoy delivering marketing presentations to potential clients and focusing on
an organization's strengths. My marketing skills at River Tech helped the company experience new levels
of success and a 45% increase in customer engagement. I'm never satisfied with the status quo, and I
believe that a company should continually look for ways to improve and reach new clients through
innovative campaigns."

6. End with a professional signoff

You should end your cover letter with a paragraph summarizing why you are applying for the role and
why you would be a great fit. Keep the cover letter conclusion brief and explain that you look forward to
the employer's response about possible next steps. End with your signature at the bottom.

Signoff example:

"Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to learning more about the sales position and
TradeLot. Growth is essential to my continued success, and I'm excited for the chance to be a part of
TradeLot's industry-leading team. My proven track record and TradeLot's quality products are a winning
combination for increasing the company's market share.

Sincerely,

Malik Rabb

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What to include on a resume

While you may decide to add, remove or alter sections depending on your application, here are a few
most common resume sections:

1. Name and contact information

At a minimum, your contact information section should include your name, phone number and email
address. Depending on the type of job you’re applying for, you might also include a link to an online
portfolio or professional website.

An example contact information section might look like this:

Alex Gardner
Houston, Texas • (123) 456-7891
[email protected] • agarder.portfolio.com

A common practice is to use your name as the title of the page, formatted so that employers can easily
identify your name and contact information first.

2. Resume summary or objective

Your resume summary or objective should be a short, one to two sentence section that briefly explains
who you are and why you’re qualified. Carefully review the job posting for clues on which of your
technical and soft skills will be most important and relevant.

Resume summaries and objectives are slightly different, and you should choose to include one or both
depending on your background and the position you’re seeking. A resume summary will describe your
work experience, while a resume objective will state your short-term goals.

A summary is good if you have at least some work experience that can be quickly summarized. An
objective statement, however, is better suited for those who have recently graduated from high school
or college, or who otherwise have limited job experience.

Your resume summary could say:

“Thoughtful construction laborer with over five years of experience helping manage teams toward
successful and safe completion of housing projects.”

Your resume objective could say:

“Recent graduate eagerly looking to expand construction labor experience with a growing contractor.”

In both your resume section and your summary, it’s important to avoid talking about topics more suited
to a job interview, such as how much you’re hoping to earn.
3. Education

The resume education section is helpful for employers who require a certain degree, certificate or level
of experience. You should include your most recent and relevant education based on your level of
experience.

The elements of an education section should include:

• Name of your school

• Location of your school

• The degree you obtained (if applicable)

• Your field of study

• Graduation year (if applicable)

• Your GPA (Note: You may not want to include this if it’s not above 3.4)

• Any relevant honors or academic recognition, coursework, activities or other achievements

obtained during your education

Consider only listing educational experiences as they make sense for your career experience. As such,
high school graduates should list their high school information, but college graduates need not list their
high school. However, once you have a post-secondary degree of any kind, you should always list that
and any other post-secondary educational experiences in your education section.

Your education section could look as follows:

Hillvalley Technical College

Aug. 2009 May 2011
Associate Degree in Welding Technology
OSHA Certificate Program

4. Professional history

Also called your “experience” or “professional history” section, this is an opportunity to showcase the
value you’ve brought to former employers. Here, you should list all of your most relevant work
experiences, beginning with your most recent job. You should focus on your experiences from the last 10
to 15 years. For example, if you’ve been working as a marketing professional for 11 years, you can leave
off jobs from earlier in your life that may not be relevant to the position you’re currently seeking.

Alternatively, if you have little to no job experience, you should list what employment you have had,
even if it does not seem completely relevant or related. Potential employers can use that experience to
get an idea of what kind of worker you might be, as some of the valuable soft skills you learned at an
unrelated job are likely transferable to a new job and industry. You can also list experiences you might
have had in clubs or volunteer organizations here, especially if you held office or had many
responsibilities.
Your employment history should include the name of the employer, your job title, years of employment,
and a few bullet points with your strongest, most relevant accomplishments. Lead with strong action
verbs and follow with an accomplishment rather than a task. Employers are interested in what you’ve
achieved, not just the tasks you’ve done. When possible, use numbers to measure your success.

An example of an employment section could be as follows:

Jones Construction Company

Welder | May. 2013 – May 2018

• Utilized SMAW, GTAW, and GMAW welding tools for building projects
• Assisted safety manager with OSHA-required regulation checks, reducing time spent on checks by 10%
• Managed a small team of welders for advanced projects on multi-million dollar contracts

It’s important to keep your bulleted list short and focus only on the most valuable achievements you had
with that employer as they relate to your current job search.

5. List of relevant skills, tools and certifications

Your skills section should include relevant technical or hard skills and soft skills. You can include any tools
you’ve mastered or certifications you’ve obtained as well.

The skills you include should be relevant to the job that interests you. For example, you may have
excellent hard skills in different areas, but all of those skills may not be applicable to the job. If you are a
skilled violinist, that may not be a good skill to put on your resume when applying for a job in
construction.

You can learn what skills potential employers are looking for by reading the job description. As you read
through job posts, write down keywords that match your skills and include them in your skills section as
appropriate.

Your skills section might look something like this:

Technical skills: Welding • Electrical Systems • Modern safety equipment • Knowledge of major OSHA
safety regulations • OSHA Certification • SMAW Welding Tools

Additional skills: Willingness to learn • Attentive • Organized • Effective communicator • Safety-

conscious

6. Additional relevant accomplishments and volunteer work

The last section to consider adding to your resume is a shortlist of any other relevant accomplishments
or volunteer work. Only include those that are relevant or that may help create a better picture of who
you are as an individual as related to the position you’re applying for. If you’re not sure what information
may be a fit for this section, re-read the job descriptions that interest you. Consider if you have any
experiences outside of the professional history you already added which may help employers
understand your qualifications.
Here is an example of what your accomplishments and volunteer work section could look like:

Volunteer firefighter, 2010–2012

Annual winter food drive volunteer, 2013–present
OSHA safety award, May 2018

When you submit an application, your resume is one of the first documents potential employers will use
to decide whether or not you are a good fit. A well-developed resume could help you be recognized by
employers looking for candidates like you.

Guide To Writing an Effective Resume: Tips and Examples | Indeed.com