Cover Letter

Your cover letter (or personal statement) is a companion piece to your CV/resume. Its purpose is to highlight and expand upon those skill sets that you already have and to account for those you don’t yet possess (or may possess in a more round-about manner).

  1. You should begin drafting your cover letter gathering enough information about the institution offering the position and the soft and hard requirements/recommendations of that position.
  2. Next, examine your CV to see how you fit for the position: list all the recommended and required skills for the position in question
  3. Using your CV, expand upon the recommended and required skills you possess–present an argument as to how you background makes you a good (or excellent) candidate for the position.
  4. See where you might apply other skills to fulfill the recommended or required skill-sets listed in the application.
  5. Account for what recommended or required skills you lack (if necessary)
  6. Finally, you should Format your letters appropriately! Please use the linked guide compiled by Dr. Julie Fann as a helpful reference!