On average, a recruiter will only spend about 1 minute reading your cover letter. Your cover letter compliments your resume by making it easy for the employer to see how your experience and interests connect to the job and employer. Your goal? Convince the employer that they want to interview you. What makes a successful cover letter? Your cover letter should link you to the job requirements, be clear and well-organized, and use examples that show your relevant skills, knowledge and/or interests, which in turn show that you’ve read the job description closely and researched the organization. Your cover letter should be easy to read and free of grammatical and typographical errors. The structure is one page, about 3–4 paragraphs and single-spaced. Use a 10–12 pt. font and one-inch margins. If you are asking, “Can I cram more words on the page?” it’s probably too long! Use the same design as your resume to unify your application. Carefully edit your cover letter. This is your chance to showcase your writing skills and attention to detail—make the most of it! So, what is a cover letter? As a business letter, your cover letter should include a heading, salutation, body paragraphs, conclusion, and signature line. Let’s craft your introduction. Your introduction will state what you’re applying for and how you learned about it. If you have a referral, mention it here! Then, it will give some basic information about you. This may include what you’re studying at Columbia, why you’re interested in the organization, and what you bring in terms of relevant experience and skills. Now, let’s create the body of the letter. Have your resume beside you and think about what you want the employer to know about you. Are there experiences that you want to expand upon that demonstrate your understanding of the role and that you can do the job requirements? Are there experiences that have made you interested in doing this job? Start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence. This could highlight a key skillset, a transferable experience, or a core area of knowledge you’ve built through your studies. You can walk the reader through a project or experience, integrating the relevant skills you used and qualities you demonstrated. These sentences will help the employer see how you could add value on their team. Finish your cover letter strong. Now it’s time to wrap things up! In your conclusion, consider recapping what you would bring to the organization and your interest in the organization. And of course, always remember to thank them for their consideration. The process of developing a career plan is not linear; in fact, you will go through various stages of our career development model at the same time. Use the model as a guide to reflect on your current needs or discuss your journey with a career counselor in one-one-one appointments. Download our Design Your Next Steps Career Planning guide from our website today to learn more about the Prepare piece of our model. Need help with your cover letter? We’re happy to help review and revise your cover letter. You can drop in for Quick questions Monday through Friday, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. during the academic year and year round, you can schedule an appointment with a career counselor via LionSHARE. We are located directly across from Faculty Campus and below East Campus Residence Hall. Visit our website to learn more: cce.columbia.edu