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How to Write a Job Application Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter is essential when applying for jobs. This is the perfect way to express how your specific skills are relevant to the open position. Wow your future employer with this simple cover letter example format.

Write a First Draft

Writing a first draft makes your letter concise and professional, states The Balance Careers. Organize your thoughts by making a list of what you’re trying to convey. Make sure you prioritize certain aspects like your previous job experience and why you would be a good fit for the position. Clearly state what position you’re interested in and why. Think about why you’re applying and what caught your eye about this specific position. Your cover letter will be easier to write after your thoughts are collected and organized.

Customize Your Salutation

When writing a salutation, make sure you know who you are writing to. Is this person the owner of the company or a Human Resources administrator? If you’re not sure, research the company to find out. Addressing your cover letter to a specific person shows initiative and attention to detail. After your salutation, start your letter with a short introduction of yourself. This gives future employers insight into who you are and the purpose of your cover letter.

Write Intentionally

Your cover letter should be no more than one page, so keep your points brief. Clearly state what position you are interested in and why. Explain why you are a good fit for the company because of your past job experience. If you have no similar job experience, let the employer know why you are changing career paths. Expand on your skills and give specific examples of how that skill set helped you at your last position. Name projects you’ve worked on and show results.

Close Your Letter

End your cover letter with a brief sentence and sign off. Thank the employer for their time and express your interest towards the job again. Let them know you’ll follow up with them if you do not hear back within a week and leave your contact information. Sign off with a professional farewell and leave room for a signature if sending a hard copy.

Edit and Proofread

As you finish writing your cover letter, make sure you take time to edit and proofread your document. Make sure it’s structured in a professional format with the company’s information, the salutation and introduction, the body of the letter, a brief closing sentence and farewell. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes to ensure a formal result. Make sure all names are spelled correctly, as well.

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a cover letter exercise

Cover Letter Tips & Tricks

How to Give Your Job References

How to call a potential employer to ask about a job interview, how to persuade someone to hire you for a job.

A cover letter is at least as important as a resume in helping you land an interview for the job you want. Even when a job listing does not specify that a cover letter is required, you should always submit one with a resume and application. A cover letter helps sell your credentials by connecting the experiences from your resume to the needs of the employer and the job.

Address By Name

A simple, but effective tip to get your letter off to a good start is to address it directly to a hiring manager or committee. Too often, job applications address letters "To whom it may concern," or "Dear hiring manager." These generic lead-ins do little to create a personal connection with the reader and do not stand out. Most of the time, you can call a company and ask who the hiring manager is for a given job. You can also look at the job listing or company website to see who is in charge of a department. A greeting such as "Dear Mr. Smith" is a much more direct and personal approach and shows genuine interest in the company and job.

Get Attention

The opening paragraph of your cover letter is where you give the hiring manager a reason to keep reading. This does not mean you should make an outlandish or provocative claim, or worse yet, glorify yourself as the best thing ever. Instead, offer a couple of quick, concise sentences indicating why you fit the job and how you learned about the opportunity. "My background and experience with an elite customer service company matches up well with your needs for your senior customer representative position. I heard about the opportunity through Jane Doe, one of your employees, and we both believe it's a good match." Including a networked referral is also a good technique.

Address the Job

Job applicants mistakenly believe, at times, that the hiring manager wants to read their life story and amazing attributes in a cover letter. In fact, some cover letter templates encourage this approach of outlining all of your qualifications. However, the hiring manager is concerned with one thing -- hiring someone who will do the job he needs done. After your attention-getting opening, acknowledge three to four main qualifications noted for the job. Then, in response to each one, offer a specific example or reason why you can strongly deliver on that need.

Close with Emphasis

Getting the hiring manager to read your entire cover letter is a feat in itself. Closing with emphasis can help seal the deal on your interview call. Thanking the reader for his time and explaining that you look forward to meeting are common items to include. Another important tip is to not only provide a contact phone number, but also to indicate that you will call to follow up at a later date like next week. This may prompt the reader to give your letter more immediate consideration so he is either prepared to call you or is ready for your call.

Neil Kokemuller has been an active business, finance and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. He has been a college marketing professor since 2004. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in marketing, retail and small business. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.

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Cover Letter Exercise

To download this lesson, click here . 

This activity takes you through the process of applying to an example job. Select a position you’d like to apply for out of the options below, and use your YouScience Profile Results to create a cover letter, write a resume, and prepare for your job interview.

Read through the job descriptions on page 6 and choose a position to apply for:

☐    A) Marketing Regional Director / Campus Recruiter

☐    B) Security Alarm Technician

☐    C) Engineer in Training

☐    D) Entry Level Web Designer

☐    E) Laboratory Scientist

☐    F) Medical Assistant

Choose 5 sentences from Your Results or Describing You section that demonstrate how you are the right fit for the job based on your aptitudes.

Write a Cover Letter for your application to this job.

Review the job description. Underline the most important skills or traits the job requires. Then review your YouScience Profile. Choose two aptitudes and one interest that you think demonstrate why you’d be a great fit for this job. For each aptitude or interest, select a few discussion guide points that really illustrate your capability. If you can, come up with an example of a time when you demonstrated this capacity in real life. Combine them all together in a cover letter that clearly highlights you aptitudes and why you’d excel at this job. Use the template below.

Three most important skills or traits for the position from the job description:

Job Skill 1:

Job Skill 2:

Job Skill 3:

Choose two aptitudes and one interest that you think demonstrate why you’d be great at this job.

Aptitude 1 & Your Aptitude Type:

           

            Discussion Guide Point 1:

            Discussion Guide Point 2:

            Real Life Example:

Aptitude 2 & Your Aptitude Type:

Interest 1:

COVER LETTER TEMPLATE

[Your Name]

[Your Present Address City, State, ZIP Code]

[Name of Contact Person listed under Each Position]

[Job Title]

[Name of Company]

Dear Mr./Ms.[_______________________],

I was excited to see your opening for a [title] position, and I hope to be invited for an interview. I believe that my keen ability for [aspect of Aptitude 1], strong commitment to [aspect of Aptitude 2], and interest in [aspect of Interest 1] make me an ideal candidate to join your team at [company].

As a candidate, here’s what I can immediately bring to the table:

I am confident that I can offer you the [aspect of Job Skill 1], [aspect of Job Skill 2], and [aspect of Job Skill 3] abilities you are seeking. Feel free to contact me at [phone] or [email address] to arrange an interview. Thank you for your time -- I look forward to learning more about this opportunity!

[Your signature]

[Your full name]

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

      College Volunteers International is the world's largest volunteer and educational adventure travel program for students. We continue to significantly and positively change our world through meaningful, sustainable volunteer initiatives. We are looking for independent and enthusiastic people to join our team of campus recruitment and sales staff in specific regions all over North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. You should be able to work independently, excite a crowd, and be motivated to top the sales charts.

We are seeking individuals for the Regional Director and Campus Recruiter positions with the following attributes:

Contact Jennifer Zogg, Director of Human Resources at College Volunteers International

We are one of the nation's oldest, largest and most respected Security Alarm System Dealers. We are looking for technically-savvy and hardworking security systems installers for our growing company. If you are a self- motivated and entrepreneurial individual looking for a rewarding career with a stable and growing company, join our expert team!

Job Responsibilities

Job Requirements

Contact Blake Wrightly, Senior Director of Technical Services at Vault Security

      Our firm has an opportunity for an Engineer in Training. This individual will take responsibility for and manage assigned roadway design, water and sewer, and site development projects, and perform project engineering duties in bringing the project to a successful completion.

Responsibilities:

Contact Derek Ruff, Manager of Engineering Services at BuiltWright Construction

      This Entry Level Web Designer position requires strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as a team-first mentality. The entry-level web designer is charged with managing and completing a list of updates and changes to various client websites. It's a people-oriented job as well working with internal teams to accomplish client goals. 

Responsibilities

Personality Requirements

Contact Damien Carter, Development Director at Morton Web Services

      ESSENTIAL LABORATORIES has an immediate FULL-TIME opening for a LABORATORY SCIENTIST to join our team of professionals. Since 1967, we have consistently provided exceptional analytical services for a complete range of environmental test requirements, including the analysis of conventional and non-conventional pollutants in groundwaters, surface waters, industrial wastewaters, soils, sediment, and solid wastes.

CORE FUNCTIONS:

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Contact Jason Wu, Director of Laboratory & Human Resources at Essential Laboratories

      Barnsford Medical Group is accepting resumes for an immediate opening for a full time Medical Assistant. This is a dual role between medical assistant duties and front desk reception. We are seeking a friendly, high energy, talented individual with a passion for serving others. Our ideal candidate is a highly organized and detail oriented team player with excellent phone etiquette. Must have computer skills and know how to effectively navigate an Electronic Medical Records system. Must be willing to work flexible hours and be open to traveling to our satellite clinics if needed. 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

If you are called in for an interview, be prepared to answer the following questions:

1) Give us an example of how you have shown compassion and excellent customer service to a patient or coworker.

2) Why did you choose to enter the health care field?

3) How would your current boss or supervisor describe you?

Contact Maria Vasquez, Senior Director of Nursing at Brambletree Medical

For additional questions or assistance, contact our  Customer Support Team  via  Chat,  Email  [email protected] , or Call  801-653-9356 , Toll-Free  800-470-1215

Start Your Cover Letter with this 10 Minute Activity

a cover letter exercise

If you’re having trouble getting your cover letter started, try this activity. You’ll need three sticky notes, something to write with, the job announcement or description for which you are writing this cover letter, and your resume (preferably your targeted resume). Don’t worry—you can do this without your resume, but it’s a whole lot easier with one.

Step 1: Get out three sticky notes, the job description , and your resume.

Step 2: On the first sticky note, write down the required and preferred skills and/or experience from the job description.

Step 3: On the second sticky note, write down your relevant skills and experience. Consult your resume if you’d like.

Step 4: On your third sticky note, write down why you are the right person for this job.

Step 5: In 30 seconds or less , verbally tell another person (your mentor , your spouse, your friend, your mom, a P&PD Advisor, Transition Readiness or Family Member Employment Assistance staff member, or anyone really) why you are the person for this job without reading your sticky note.

Now you’re off to a good start. Begin the first draft of your cover letter with that message.

BONUS:  If you’re feeling stuck on how to prepare for an interview , want a break from reviewing lists of questions , or could use some help figuring out how to respond to, “So tell me about yourself,” do this same exercise. It’ll help.

Searching for more in-depth assistance with cover letters? Contact your installation’s Family Member Employment Assistance or Transition Readiness staff and ask the Marine for Life Network on LinkedIn. For more job search tips, follow Marine for Life on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn !

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Your performance in an interview can make or break landing a job, so you always want to be on your A-game.  Check out this list of nine things you can do to effectively prepare for your interview.

So...What is a Mentor, Exactly?

Mentor. Coach.  Guide. Counselor. Teacher. Instructor. Adviser. The word “mentor” has a lot of meanings, whether you’re looking it up in the dictionary or asking what it might mean to you personally. So how do you settle on one term? Let’s look at the different types of mentoring and how they could apply to you as a Marine or a Marine spouse.

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Are you preparing for your next job interview? If you want to impress the interviewer there are some crucial questions that you must be ready to answer.

a cover letter exercise

How to write a job covering letter/email exercise

What you'll learn here.

Learn what makes a good job covering/cover letter (with an example of one) and 13 phrases that you can use in your own. There is also a quiz at the end to make sure you know why and when to use these 13 phrases.

A job covering/cover letter is important

It may surprise you to hear this, but the job covering/cover letter (or email) that you send when applying for a job is probably more important than your CV/resume in deciding whether you'll get a job interview or not.

Although you must make sure that your send a good CV/resume when applying for a job, whether your potential employer will ever look at it often depends on how good the job covering/cover letter you send with it is.

Why your job covering/cover letter is important

When companies advertise a vacancy, they'll receive lots of CVs/resumes (possibly hundreds). If they had to read each CV/resume they received, it would take them a very long time. So to help them choose the best candidates quicker, they often use the job cover/covering email to decide whose CV/resume to read and whose not to.

And they can use the job covering/cover letter to make this decision, because apart from it saying what job the person is applying for, it is basically a summary of the most important information from the CV/resume.

What makes a good one

So now you know why a job covering/cover letter is important, how do you write a good one? The answer is very simple, think from the perspective of the person/people you are sending it to. If you were in their position and you were going to be using it to decide whether to read your CV/resume or not, what would you be wanting to see when you read it?

In my opinion, for a job covering/cover letter to work (and get you an interview), it needs to:

In addition to both what you write about and how you structure it, the vocabulary which you use in it is important. You are selling yourself as the right candidate to the person or people reading it, so you need to use vocabulary and phrases which makes you sound professional in it. And you do this by using both formal vocabulary (e.g. oversee, conduct etc...) and vocabulary which is polite.

Fortunately, there are a lot of set professional sounding phrases and expressions which you can use in your own job covering/cover letter (which you'll see below). But before you use them, you need to be 100% sure that you are using them correctly.

Now you know the theory of what makes a good covering letter/email, use this in the exercise below. This exercise contains an example of a good job covering/cover letter and a quiz which is designed to help you create your own one more easily and both understand and remember the vocabulary which you should use in them.

Exercise & Example:

Read the following covering/cover letter from Juan Cruz for a sales executive position/job with a large multinational engineering company.

From the context, try to guess what the meaning and purpose of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in response to the advertisement for the position of a sales executive in the Madrid office of your company. I am confident that I would be an excellent candidate for both this position and for working within a company such as your own which has a reputation for excellence and innovation.

Goal-Orientated - Surpassing my annual sales targets every year of my professional career.
Adaptable - Having the ability to quickly learn and use new techniques, methodologies, strategies when selling a variety of different products.
Able to speak fluently in English - I have the Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English and use English on a daily basis in my current position.

I have extensive experience of working as a sales executive for two large multinational companies, Almagro Construction SA and Telefonica SA. During my time in Telefonica I have been responsible for several multi-million euro project negotiations that were conducted entirely in English and led to Telefonica obtaining contracts that totalled a value of €61.3 million.

Please find attached a copy of my CV which expands on my experience and achievements.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss further the possibility of working for you in this position. I am available to do an interview when it is convenient for yourselves .

If you have any questions, I can be reached on either my mobile (0034 71761231) or by email ([email protected]).

Thank you for your time and consideration .

Yours faithfully,

Our other exercises and articles to help you get the job you want

Below are 13 questions about the words/phrases in bold from the above text. Choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each question. Only use each word/phrase once. Click on the "Check answers" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.

Although I recommend that you answer the below questions yourself, if you are busy, you can see all the correct answers to the questions by pressing the below button whenever you want.

See the correct answers

1. A professional way to say that you have worked in a type of job for a long time, is

2. A phrase where you say what your three main abilities are and is used to introduce the section about your skills, is

3. A phrase that is used to provide the candidate's contact details, is

4. A phrase which means 'I'm perfect for this job', is

5. A phrase that means that something was done only using English, is

6. A polite phrase that asks for an interview or a phone call to talk about the job, is

7. A verb that has the same meaning as 'show', is

8. Another way to say something happened 'for a part (or parts) of a period of time', is

9. A phrase that tells the person receiving the covering letter that they can decide when the interview happens, is

10. A polite phrase that shows your appreciation for the person reading the covering letter, is

11. Another way to say 'from the beginning to the end', is

12. A phrase which tells the person reading the letter that you have also sent them your CV/résumé, is

13. A phrase that says why you are sending the email or letter, is

Now that you understand the vocabulary and the structure, practise it by creating your own covering letter.

©2022, Blair English

This is me, Chris Clayton, the owner and main writer for Blair English. I'm also a part-time English teacher in sunny Spain. I have a love of history and the web. I hope you find the website useful.

34 Cover letter English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

Kameza

a cover letter exercise

Exercise Physiologist

Published February 21, 2023

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

(111) 789-3456

[email protected]

Dear Hiring Manager,

I'm pleased to have the opportunity to be applying for the Exercise Physiologist position at Crossover Health Services. I pride myself on my ability to observe and assess a patient's condition. This includes engaging patients in order to evaluate their condition for the best results. I also pride myself on respecting not only the privacy of each patient but also knowing the appropriate procedures for implementing each individual plan of care. I am looking forward to using my skills as an Exercise Physiologist at Crossover Health Services—a company that not only has charitable branches worldwide but also one that provides preventative and rehabilitative health care free to those in need.

During my previous tenure at Centurion Medical, I developed my skills in performing patient care intervention, assessing patient conditions for proper test referral and administering medication while educating patients and their families about treatment.

I am very aware of how important positive customer interaction can be in developing a relationship with not only the patient but also the family members to develop trust. This also includes an understanding of various patient populations and their diverse needs. A large part of my role is training patients to eventually perform the prescribed exercises on their own. I take pride in being recognized as a stand-out Exercise Physiologist in this area, having received numerous letters of recognition for my work in training others to be better patient educators. My superiors and patients have attested to my passion for the job, and my passion is something I can contribute to your patients on a daily basis.

Thank you for the initial opportunity to present a brief synopsis of my background and skills in ordered to be considered for the Exercise Physiologist position at Crossover Health Services. I am looking forward to discussing the position in greater detail and growing professionally within your company.

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  2. How to Write a Job Application Cover Letter

    Writing a cover letter is essential when applying for jobs. This is the perfect way to express how your specific skills are relevant to the open position. Wow your future employer with this simple cover letter example format.

  3. Cover Letter Tips & Tricks

    Cover Letter Tips & Tricks. A cover letter is at least as important as a resume in helping you land an interview for the job you want. Even when a job listing does not specify that a cover letter is required, you should always submit one wi...

  4. Cover Letter Exercise

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  7. Start Your Cover Letter with this 10 Minute Activity

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  8. How to write a job covering letter/email exercise

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