Do Do Not Send to specific person Use "Ms." to address a woman unless you know that she prefers "Miss" or "Mrs." Use formal business language Provide your contact information Follow the format of a block business letter Keep your letter to one page Tailor your letter to the position Speak to the job requirements Clarify why you should be hired Be brief and to the point Show confidence and enthusiasm Use a variety of valuable action verbs Proofread your letter Send your resume without a letter Send written material with typos or smudges Be negative Tell employers what they can do for you Rehash your resume or include too much detail Say anything about your lack of experience Use clichés Include false or unproven claims about your abilities

Cover Letters Purpose: Format: Typed, Block Format Message to an employer expressing interest in a job and politely requesting an interview. The word “please” does not automatically make it polite! Format: Typed, Block Format Professional language Emailed or dropped off in person, with a resume.

Message Details Opening: (2 sentence paragraph) Interest, specific position, how you heard about the opening, and reason for writing. See sample letter for guidance. Body: (3-5 sentence paragraph) Basic qualifications Use words from the classified ad: fast paced, reliable, team player, etc… Any experience or skills that would help you succeed in that position Classes, GPA, bilingual, etc… Any highlights of your career. Employee of the month, attendance award, etc… Closing: (1-2 sentence paragraph) Polite request of an interview. “I’d be happy to provide more information in a formal interview.” Contact info. Best times to call, email address, phone number Professional email names!

Signature Polite closing and final request of action “Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.” Sincerely, Enter 4 times, between sincerely and your typed name, for your signature. Sign your letter in BLUE or BLACK INK Type your Name & address Make note at the bottom that you have attached your resume (Enc: resume)

December 10, 2013 Mr. Carl Jones, Owner Good Food Inc December 10, 2013 Mr. Carl Jones, Owner Good Food Inc. 705 North Oak Street Wylie, TX 75098 Dear Mr. Jones, I am extremely interested in the restaurant server position advertised in today’s Wylie News. I would like very much to discuss this opening with you in person. The enclosed resume outlines my qualifications which meet those indicated in the advertisement. I have 2 years of service experience at Hearty’s Home Cooking, where I was awarded Employee of the Month three times last year. My ability to multitask, entertain others, and work well with fellow employees should allow me to make a positive contribution to your company. Please call me any day after 3:00pm at (214) 555-1234 to arrange a personal interview, or leave a message at (214) 555-4321. Monday or Friday afternoons work well with my schedule, or another time can be arranged at your convenience. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Susan Andrews Email address Phone # Address Enc: Resume

Cover Letter Assignment Write a rough draft cover letter on notebook paper. This should be for the PC Classifieds job you selected in class. Get approval to type Type your letter using Microsoft Word. Save… do NOT email yet!!