Module 5: Cover Letters

Why Are Cover Letters So Important?

Too often cover letters are hastily written, almost as an afterthought. However, a cover letter introduces you and your application packet to the employer, so it’s likely that it will be with your cover letter that you make your first impression. This makes it a very important document and one that deserves a reasonable amount of time and thought.

While your CV is an opportunity to show the employer your past qualifications and accomplishments, the cover letter is your chance to show the employer the connection between your skills and their needs for the position you are seeking. Wherever possible, then, it makes sense to tailor your cover letters to highlight those.

TIPPS HANDOUTS ON COVER LETTERS

TiPPS for Writing and Tailoring Cover Letters (2023 version)

TiPPS cover letter evaluation task (2023 version)

THE ESSENTIALS OF CRAFTING A GOOD COVER LETTER

University of Wisconsin at Madison: Writer’s Handbook: Writing cover letters: A concise collection of tips for writing your cover letter. Samples cover letters included.

“Beyond the One-Page Cover Letter” (The Chronicle of Higher Education): An assortment of very valuable tips and reminders, many from the employer’s perspective

Purdue University Online Writing Lab on Academic Cover Letters: A clear and thorough look at cover letters and the importance of tailoring your letters to your audience, plus a sample letter that illustrates their main points (see sidebar menu for all sections)

Before You Write a Cover Letter for a Nonfaculty Job, Try This Exercise (The Chronicle of Higher Education): If you are casting a wide net in your job search and apply for a non-faculty job, the advice here might come in handy.

IMPROVING YOUR COVER LETTER & AVOIDING COVER LETTER PITFALLS

“The Basics of Cover Letter Writing” (The Chronicle of Higher Education): Another excellent read on the topic of cover letters. A nice bulleted list of advice and a sample letter that illustrates this advice in action. One key tip: “You want to connect items in your background with the specific needs of the department.”

“Your CV Should Inform. Your Cover Letter Should Persuade.” (The Chronicle of Higher Education): A very good article about the difference in purpose between a CV and cover letter. Its main idea is similar to our TiPPS mantra that a CV reflects your past (your education, experience, and skills up to this point) while your cover letter reflects your future (hopefully with the employer), so it is important to connect your past to your future in your cover letter.

10 of the Worst Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid (topresume.com): Though the advice here is geared more for business or non-academic jobs, the cover letter mistakes they describe echo the pitfalls we discuss, with further explanation about why it’s important to avoid them. And although the authors say that the majority of recruiters don’t often pay attention to cover letters, they quite rightly note later that some fields, such as education, do really value them.

15 Cover Letter Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (indeed.com): This article covers even more cover letter mistakes, along with strategies and reminders for avoiding them.

Admin 101: How to Interpret a Job Candidate’s Cover Letter (The Chronicle of Higher Education): A glimpse into what it’s like from the employer’s point of view reading cover letters and what you can do to better your letter.

BOOKS THAT DISCUSS COVER LETTERS

Vick, J. M., Furlong, J. S., & Lurie, R. (2016). The academic job search handbook. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. [This excellent book is available online for University of Hawaii at Mānoa faculty, staff, and students.]

Beatty, R.H. (1989). The perfect cover letter. New York: John Wiley & Sons. [It a lot of useful information in the chapters on characteristics of good and bad cover letters.]

Formo, D.M. & Reed, C. (1999). Job search in academe: Strategic rhetorics for faculty job candidates. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, Inc.