Crafting a Compelling Cover Letter: A Guide by the UCLA Career Center

A cover letter is a crucial component of your job application, serving as a personalized introduction to your resume and highlighting your qualifications for a specific role. The UCLA Career Center emphasizes the importance of a well-crafted cover letter in making a strong first impression on potential employers. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to create a standout cover letter that showcases your skills, experiences, and enthusiasm.

Understanding the Purpose of a Cover Letter

Your resume is a powerful marketing tool to land an interview. A cover letter complements your resume by providing context and demonstrating your understanding of the position and the company. It allows you to express your personality, elaborate on your skills, and explain why you are a good fit for the organization.

Key Elements of an Effective Cover Letter

1. Header

At the top of your cover letter, include your name, contact information (phone number, email address), and the date. This information should be consistent with your resume.

2. Salutation

Ideally, the letter should be addressed to the person who is likely to make employment decisions. Address the letter to a specific person whenever possible. Research the hiring manager's name and title. If you cannot find a name, use a professional salutation such as "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Department Name] Team."

3. Introduction

Begin with a strong opening paragraph that grabs the reader's attention. State the position you are applying for and how you learned about the opportunity. Briefly highlight your most relevant skills and experiences that align with the job requirements. Express your enthusiasm for the role and the company.

4. Body Paragraphs

Use the body paragraphs to expand on your qualifications and demonstrate how you meet the specific requirements of the position. Refer to the job description and identify the key skills and qualifications. Underline words/phrases that match your background. Provide specific examples of how you have demonstrated these skills in your previous experiences.

Showcase Relevant Skills: Categorize the relevant, concrete skills you possess. List only the skills you can perform with little or no supervision. Make a list of special qualities that set you apart from other applicants.
Quantify and Qualify Your Accomplishments: Numbers speak volumes to people who make hiring decisions. Show measurable results to an employer. Quantifying and qualifying your accomplishments gives prospective employers a sense of how you went about an assignment or project and the bottom-line results of your performance. Qualifying your results is also important so prospective employers can see the impact of your services.
Elaborate with Details: There is a formula for creating detailed, compelling bullet points. Elaborate with details: How often? How many? What was the purpose? Who else was involved? What were the results?: What did you accomplish or improve? Did you meet or exceed a goal? Did you create something new?
Use Specific Examples: Think of specific examples of where and how each skill or attribute led to a tangible result or achievement. Include work experience, internships, volunteer activities, clubs and organizations, research projects, sports, etc. Consider the following as you get started. Trained another person? Tutored anyone?

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Connect Your Experiences to the Company's Needs: Explain how your skills and experiences can contribute to the company's success. Research the company's mission, values, and recent projects to demonstrate your understanding of their goals.

5. Closing Paragraph

Reiterate your interest in the position and your enthusiasm for the opportunity. Thank the reader for their time and consideration. Include a call to action, such as expressing your eagerness to discuss your qualifications further in an interview.

6. Closing

Use a professional closing such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by your signature (if submitting a hard copy) and typed name.

Tailoring Your Cover Letter

1. Review the Job Description

Carefully analyze the job description to identify the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities. Underline words/phrases that match your background. Tailor your cover letter to address these specific requirements.

2. Research the Company

Gain a thorough understanding of the company's mission, values, culture, and recent achievements. Use this knowledge to demonstrate your interest in the company and explain how your skills align with their goals.

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3. Customize for Each Application

Avoid using a generic cover letter for multiple applications. Customize each cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the position and the company. Do not use the exact same language found in a sample.

Resume Formatting Guidelines

Writing a stand out resume requires the perfect combination of formatting and content.

1. Structure and Format

Brief snapshot of your most relevant skills and work experience. Most relevant skills and experiences should be in the first 1/3 of the resume.

2. Font and Color

Font: Any that is easily legible (ie Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Helvetica, Times). Color: Black is preferred.

3. Length and Spacing

1 page for undergraduate students and recent grads. Include white space between the sections of your resume. At top of resume, centered or justified to left or right. May include a bottom border line.

4. Dates

You may format dates as numbers (09/20xx), words (September 20xx), or abbreviate (Sept. 20xx).

5. Education

List highest degree first. Include study abroad. List course titles (not numbers) of relevant courses, in order of relevance. May be listed separately or as a subsection under “Education”.

6. Skills

For a specific position, include the title and company name. Cite publications using the correct format for your discipline (MLA, APA, etc.). Identify if still in submitted status.

7. Categories

Include only those categories that best represent your qualifications for the position.

Additional Tips for a Standout Cover Letter

Proofread Carefully: Ensure your cover letter is free of grammatical errors and typos. Ask a friend or career advisor to review your cover letter before submitting it.
Use Action Verbs: Use strong action verbs to describe your accomplishments and responsibilities.
Be Concise: Keep your cover letter concise and focused. Aim for a one-page document.
Show Personality: Let your personality shine through in your writing. Be authentic and enthusiastic.
Follow Up: If you haven't heard back from the employer within a reasonable timeframe, follow up with a polite email to reiterate your interest in the position.

CV vs. Resume

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) may be requested in lieu of a resume, typically for academic, scholarly or research opportunities.

Unnecessary Information: Unabridged list of publications, presentations, conferences attended, courses taught.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan resume submissions for keywords.

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