Content Tips

• The best way to determine what details you should include in the cover letter is to take a close look at the job description and find the key skills or qualifications that the organization is looking for. Think of examples that show that you have these attributes and then try to use these words in your letter.
• Focus on the reader's needs, not your own - you want to make it clear how you can help the organization. Keep use of the words "I" and "me" to a minimum and when you do use them bury them in the middle of a sentence rather than placing them at the front. Use terms and phrases that will be recognized by the employer by keeping techno-jargon to a minimum.
• Rather than repeating everything from your résumé pick out 2 or 3 key aspects and provide examples from your experience that demonstrate these.
• Vary your choice of words and sentence structure. If your sentences are structured similarly throughout the letter, then it will not sound interesting and it will seem mechanically constructed. In terms of word choice, do not use the same adjectives throughout the letter, but also avoid using words that come from a thesaurus as they may seem awkward. See Power Words for a list of alternate descriptor words.
• If you have been referred by someone whom mentioning might give you an edge, mention them in your introduction. For example, try "Bill Hughes suggested that I contact you..."