Cover Letter Workshop

1. Cover Letter Workshop Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy 2009-2010

2. The Purpose of a Cover Letter Argue that your strengths and skills will make you an asset to the organization.

3. End result of your cover letter Your reader will be able to summarize your letter by reading the first sentence of every paragraph. For example: I am very interested in this position. My experiences outside the classroom show that I am a good match to be your intern. In addition , my academic preparation gives me the skills to contribute to your mission. Thank you for considering my application.

4. End result you don’t want I am a student at Duke University. I have take a lot of courses in Public Policy and Economics. My extracurricular activities include student government and ski team. Thank you for your time.

5. Why? You want your letter to be: A. concise B. relevant to the organization C. as interesting as a cover letter can be D. about how your skills and experience relate to the organization

6. General Rules You should create a unique cover letter for each application. (It is okay to have a template cover letter off which to build). Use the job description and qualifications to tailor your letter to each job for which you are applying. Keep a record of your cover letter so that when you go for an interview you can review what you have already told them about yourself. Proofread your letters! Let the employer know how you will be a valuable asset to them – not the other way around. If you are mailing your letters be sure to sign them. Business letters are folded in thirds and mailed in long envelopes, about 9 1/2 inches long.

7. General Format - Opening Your Name Your Street Address City, State, Zip Code Phone # E-mail address Name of Person & Title Company/Organization Street Address City, State, Zip Code Date Dear Mr./Ms. : If possible, find out the name of the person reviewing your application. If you do not know the name of the person that will be reviewing your application, you can address the cover letter to: Internship Coordinator, Sir or Madame. Add your cell phone number and email address to the cover letter and resume header – this will save room in your letter. It is not completely necessary to use your street address unless you are applying to a Congressional representative or your Senator. The important thing is to use the header and for the header to match the one on your resume.

8. General Format - Introduction Example: As a Public Policy Major in my junior year at Duke University, I am writing to express my interest in the Aaron Foundation Internship at the Center for American Progress. I learned about the opportunity through Ankit Shrivastava and Teresa Mohin, both good friends who interned with the Center last year and loved their experiences. The Center for American Policy is a young, promising and dynamic think-tank, and one that I believe I can offer my strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills. Introduction: State the reason for writing. Name the specific position, or type of work for which you are applying. Also, be sure to state the resource used in finding out about the opening/company (news media, friend, faculty, career office etc).

9. General Format - Body Body: Sell yourself! Fully explain your qualifications such as academic background, work experience, and personal skills. Point out achievements that relate to the field and why you enjoy that work. The body can be two paragraphs – take as much room as you can to market yourself to the employer. EXAMPLE: As a Public Policy Major in my junior year at Duke University, I am writing to express my interest in the Aaron Foundation Internship at the Center for American Progress. I learned about the opportunity through Ankit Shrivastava and Teresa Mohin, both good friends who interned with the Center last year and loved their experiences. The Center for American Policy is a young, promising and dynamic think-tank, and one that I believe I can offer my strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills. My skills and experience make me a strong candidate for your organization. Pursuing a B.A. in Public Policy has provided me with a skill set of clear analysis, communication, and leadership skills, as well an understanding of political analysis, policymaking, and political ethics. As a teaching assistant for the department of Public Policy at Duke, I have learned the valuable skills of clear communication, sharp analysis and efficient organization. My work as a TA also demonstrates that I have strong quantitative and time management-skills. The ability to conduct extensive research, synthesize information, and write about diverse and complex subjects, is the product of a year-long internship at Duke Magazine, the University’s alumni magazine with a circulation of over 100,000. Finally, my interpersonal skills are well-matched for working as an intern at CAP. My strong grasp of languages and background as an international student has helped me perceive the world from a variety of perspectives and paradigms. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, I was surrounded by friends and family from diverse cultures and locations around the world. I currently speak fluent English and Spanish, and have advanced proficiency in Italian and French, languages that have all helped me examine the world from differing perspectives and paradigms. My passion for a progressive agenda and social change coupled with my demonstrated skills show that I am ready and motivated to work at CAP this summer. I am confident that I will be able to contribute significantly to, and benefit immensely from, the Center for American Progress’ internship program. Thank you for considering my application.

10. General Format - Closing EXAMPLE: My passion for a progressive agenda and social change coupled with my demonstrated skills show that I am ready and motivated to work at CAP this summer. I am confident that I will be able to contribute significantly to, and benefit immensely from, the Center for American Progress’ internship program. Thank you for considering my application. Sincerely, Only leave space if you are signing Katie Smith Closing: Refer the reader to the enclosed resume, application, and/or writing sample. Also, thank them for considering your application. Don't say, “Look forward to hearing from you.” Don’t say, “Thank you for your consideration.”

11. Common Mistakes to Avoid Letters longer than 1 page. Body is too long. Repetition. Duplicate letters – forgetting to change the name/address of the organization, the date, or even the addressee. Noting experiences and skills that do not match the goals or needs of the position. Indicating what the employer can do for you rather than what you can do for them. (Example: I would like to work at NPR so that I learn about current events). Starting sentences and paragraphs with “I.”

12. DO NOT SAY OR USE Quality “Here at Duke” Impacting In case you need to reach me, this is my contact information A Split Infinitive, e.g. to adverb verb Excessive adverbs Furthermore Gained skills/experience DO SAY OR USE High-quality “at Duke” Causing This is my contact information (which is your contact information whether or not someone needs to reach you) To verb adverb Minimize adverbs Further Developed skills/experience

13. Finally – The Thank You Note Send immediately after your interview. Do not wait until you hear back from the employer to send a thank you note. Okay to send thank yous via email, but people always like handwritten notes (so do both). Also, be sure to send a thank you to people who have referred you to employers and written recommendations for you.

14. Thank You Note Example Dear Ms. Interviewer, Thank you for talking with me about the internship position in XYZ department. I enjoyed our conversation and want to follow up on a couple of points. (If you don’t want to follow up skip that line.) After our conversation, I am even more excited about working with name of organization and I am certain that my analytical skills and ability to stand on my head will help me contribute to the say something that shows you were listening to the description of the project you’d be working on over the summer. If there is any other information I can provide, please do not hesitate to contact me. Again, thank you very much. Sincerely, Sign your name

15. Contact Information For help on your cover letters, see: Marjie Patterson Dan Kobiyashi Sarah Rosenberg Joel McFarland Emily Wexler Jason Lemmons

16. Questions & Answers