Vanderbilt Career Center

A cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume and introduces you and your qualifications to a potential employer. A good cover letter makes the hiring manager want to learn more about you, read your resume and possibly invite you for an interview.

If this is your first cover letter, you may want to watch the Resumes and Cover Letters webcast to learn the basics.

The same steps apply for writing a good cover letter as they do for writing a resume. The first step is to do research about the company and the job so you can customize your materials to their needs.

You'll also want to become familiar with the parts of a cover letter by reviewing basic cover letter contents and looking at some sample cover letters. When you are ready to write your first cover letter, Optimal Cover Letter allows you to write and manage your content on line.

There are many ways you can see if your cover letter is competitive including using the Cover Letter Checklist. You can also bring it to the VCC with your resume to have it critiqued and/or you can meet with a coach to discuss the suggestions. It is always helpful if you can bring a job posting with you so the coach can help you customize your cover letter to the posting. Please check the VCC calendar for resume and cover letter critique times and dates.

The next step is to begin applying for internships and full time opportunities. The VCC database for opportunities is CareerLink, and to apply for positions and interview on campus, you must complete your profile and upload your resume and many companies will ask for a cover letter as well.

If you have identified a specific Career Cluster, you can have your cover letter reviewed by the cluster coach by making an Appointment (call 615.322.2750). Another effective way to see if your resume meets industry standards is to send it to an alumnus in a specific industry via VU Connect, a database of alumni who have volunteered to provide information and referrals to students.

Resources

• Resumes and Cover Letters webcast
• Researching Jobs and Companies
• Basic Cover Letter Contents
• Sample Cover Letters
• Using Optimal Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Checklist
• Cover Letter Critiques and Cover Letter Workshops
• Uploading Your Cover Letter to CareerLink
• Career Clusters
• VU Connect