cover letter tip

Hey Reader,

If you are at all interested in a job or internship by the time May rolls around you probably have at least absentmindedly thought about getting together a resume and cover letter. While resumes are more or less straightforward in their format and subject, cover letters can be really challenging or worse yet, really obnoxious to write. Remember, it can be hard to extol all of your amazing traits in three short paragraphs but as long as the information you give is relative to the organization and the skills that you bring to it, you are on the right track.

One of the key points in writing a successful cover letter is showing that your previous experiences and the skills you have gained in those experiences make you a good candidate for the position. Tip: make sure to stay away from language concerning how the position will benefit you. Instead, focus on the skills, the experience, and the passion you would bring to the organization.

If you have any questions about how to write a successful cover letter check the Career Center’s website or stop in for quick questions!

Cool Job Opportunity! Perfect for those thinking about policy or going into law school!

Hey, everybody! Came across this job opportunity, and thought I would share. This employer is specifically interested in (and targeting!) WashU students, so go onto eRecruiting and send a resume and cover letter if you're interested!

Employer: Children’s Rights
Recruiting for: Paralegal (RESUME DROP)
Majors: All
Locations: New York, NY Apply by: 3/1

PROOFREAD!!!

Always, always, always proofread anything you submit in writing. Cover letters, thank you notes, and many other kind of business correspondence are important documents that you will generate during any job or internship search. And because you'll most likely be hedging your bets and applying to multiple positions you'll be have quite a paper trail.

Business correspondence isn't fun but it is important and it can be tremendously beneficial. Even a quick letter can tell a person about your maturity, professionalism, and interest in a position. Don't allow the monotony of replicating the process hinder your chances by lulling you into making a typo.

Many documents will assume a similar form, but each document should be personalized. For example, cater your skills to a particular employer in a cover letter or draw from a specific topic of interview conversation in a thank you. One simple way to avoid making errors is to avoid the temptation to copy and paste information. Recreating each new document will force you to actively move through each step of the creative process and improve the continuity in general. Of course, proofread no matter what!

Success tips for the Co-op or Internship Search

Carrie, a Junior in Biomedical Engineering wanted to do a co-op during her spring semester, but wanted to stay in St. Louis. She went through the search process and was successful in finding a co-op with Stereotaxis. Here’s what she did, along with some tips.

The Search

-She found out about one particular company from her engineering class
-students had to interview someone from an engineering firm and one student’s presentation sparked her interest
LESSON- You never know where or how you can learn of an organization that interests you!

-She found another organization on The Career Center website and then was able to meet the company at the Job and Internship Fair sponsored by The Career Center.
LESSON- Whenever possible it is always best to meet a representative of a company in person. This gives them a face to put with the name and a feel for how well you would fit with their company.

-A former member of a student group Carrie is in sent out a group email telling that the engineering company he works for is hiring. Carrie applied for a position.
LESSON- Don’t forget to let your friends and family know what types of internships you are interested in (ex. Art, architecture, being a camp counselor…)

Carrie applied and got an interview with Stereotaxis, the company she met at the Career Fair. After several more interviews, she received an offer and accepted!

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Cover letters can be a very hard task to do. Often it can take more time than the resume itself. If writing a cover letter is necessary for a job application, as it is frequently required on E-recruiting, here are some common mistakes to avoid before sending it out:

1.) All about me: Don't focus on how the job will be beneficial to you such as "This job is very interesting to me" and "I want more experience in this field." Most employers don't care about your needs and are looking for what you can do for them.

2.) Resume regurgitation: The cover letter shouldn't be a paragraph form of your resume. You may want to focus on a few accomplishments and talk about how those experiences can contribute to the business. You can also highlight things not in your resume.

3.) Carbon Copies: The main goal of a cover letter is to show how enthusiastic you are about the position and what you know about the company. This can't be done with a generic cover letter. Also, many recuriters can tell when they have recieved an impersonalized cover letter.

4.) Self-esteem: As students, we may feel inadequate at times since we don't have that much work experience. Don't use the cover letters to highlight your lack of work experience. Instead talk up your great activities that you have done and how those skills can be useful for their business.

5.) To whom it may concern: Try very hard to personalize the cover letter. If using E recruiting, use the employers search function to see who is the recruiter if it is not listed on the individual job posting. Also, look into calling the company and finding out who to send your job application materials to. If all else fails, Dear Hiring Manager will have to suffice.