Fillable Printable Basic Sample Cover Letter

Basic Sample Cover Letter

BASIC SAMPLE COVER LETTER

Your Street Address

BLOCK SYLE-

Your City, State Zip

all sections

left-aligned

Date

Name of Recipient

Title

Company

NOTE: formal business letters should have margins of

at least one inch around the entire page. These

reduced-size examples do not necessarily illustrate

that

ractice.

Address

Dear Name of Recipient:

INITIAL PARAGRAPH: State the reason for the letter, the spec ific position or type of work for which you are applying,

and indicate from which re source (i.e., Career Services Center, news media, friend, employment service) you learned of the

openin g. Some exam ples include:

I am writing to express my interest in the p osition of _________ ______.

Your advertisement in the ____________ for a ______________seems to perfectly match my background and

experience.

I am writing to you at the r ecommendation of ____________________.

In response to your job posting for a __________ on your company’s website, I have attached my resume for your

consideration.

If you are seeking a talent ed, motivated salesperson for your outside sales team, I believe my skills and background

are a good match for your organizatio n.

SECOND PARAGRAPH: Indicat e why you are interested in the position, the c ompany, its products or service s.

Demonstrate that you have r esearched the organization by stating something about their mission, latest products, business

ventures, etc. State clearly what you can do for the employer. If you ar e a recent gr aduate, explain how your academic

background makes you a well-qualified candidate. If you have some pract ical work exp eri ence, point out your specific

achievements or unique qualifications. Try not to r epeat the same inform ation the rea der will find in your resume. Refer the

reader to the enclosed resume or a pplication form which summarizes your qualifications, training and experience. Sell yourself!

Convey enthusiasm! Some examples include:

My qualifications for th e position include . . .

I believe my background in . . .

I have ex perience/education in the field of . . .

THIRD PARAGRAPH: In the closing p aragraph, indicate your desire for a personal interview and your flexibility as to the

time and place. Repeat your tel ep ho ne number in the letter and offer any assistance to help in a speedy response. Fi nally,

close your letter with a statement or question which will encourage a response. For example, state that you will be in the

city where the company is located on a c erta in date and w ould lik e to set up an int erview.

Some ex amples include:

I look forward to discussing my qualifications with you further in person . . .

Should you be interested in my qualifications . . .

The sample cover letters included in this

guide illustrate a variety of styles and

formats. All of the identifying information on

the letters is fictitious.

For an interview, I can be reached at . . .

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Name