Career Management 101 Module 4: Letter Writing

Overview: From the cover letter to the thank you letter, letters are an integral part of the job search process and they can vary depending on the objective of the letter. This Letter Module will help you to perfect the art of writing and formatting cover letters, which you can share online or download and print. This module is designed to provide students with a variety of resources for creating letters. Competencies for this course are based on the use of the National Occupation Codes; Optimal Resume to create your letters. Strategies for this course include research, technology, problemsolving, decision-making, target role/field, and self-management.

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this letter module the student will be able to: • Access the Optimal Resume System/Creating Your User Profile •

Set up Your Cover Letter Template

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Create a cover letter

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Spellcheck your letter

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View & Print Your letter in Word

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Sylize your letter in Word

• Utilize research, technology and resources to target the cover letter to college achievements, employer requirements and skills developed through paid and unpaid work experiences

Content Exploration: Letters serve multiple purposes in the job search process. The cover letter in particular is an essential component of a job application. The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce yourself to the employer in a professional capacity. This includes providing an overview of your education, skills, and experience as they relate to the position to which you are applying. In doing so, a successful cover letter demonstrates your compatibility with the company and arouses an interest in meeting you in person for an interview. This module will provide you with a five step plan on how to format and write your cover letter successfully so that you introduce yourself and present your achievements in the best possible manner.

Not all candidates will take the time to create a cover letter for their resumes. If you have one, this will differentiate you from others.

Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

The successful cover letter in 5 steps -

cific college training.

A five-step cover letter plan:

http://www.sheridancollege.ca/About%20Sheridan/Employers%20and%20Job%20Seekers/ Hire%20a%20Co-op%20Student/Co-op%20Program%20List.aspx

1. Choose a format: There are a number of formats you can choose from and your choice is a matter of professional preference. However, regardless of style, you cover letter should include the following information: your name and contact information, the complete address of the employer, the date, a reference line, salutation, body, and closing line and signature. Remember to be consistent with your format. TIP: For formatting ideas and details on types of letter styles, read http://careercenter.illinoisstate. edu/students/marketing-yourself/Letter_Styles. shtml 2. Know your resume: education, skills and experiences: The cover letter is not a copy of your resume. Instead, it is a summary of your major achievements as they relate to the position. Thus, it is important that you know what is on your resume and highlight your most relevant achievements in your cover letter. TIP: Capability Sheets indicate the types of tasks that graduates are able to perform based on their academic studies. Use the link below to check the college website for capability sheets that describe the abilities you have once you complete your spe-

3. Thoroughly read and understand the job posting: In order to present yourself as the perfect fit for the jobs, you need to understand what the job requires of you and this can be found in the job description. Job postings are often written in order from most important to least important requirements. Although you should aim to address all the requirements in your resume, make sure to address the top 3 requirements in your cover letter. In addition, move beyond explaining that you can do the tasks that are required and focus instead on how your background has provided you with the skills necessary to be successful in the position and address those key skill sets in your cover letter. Tip: For a breakdown of how to analyse job postings, see the link below http://www.cecs.uoguelph. ca/students/cover_letters#dtjp 4. Making connections: Once you have analyzed the posting, it is time of make connections between the requirements of the posting and your experience. Analyze and compile a list of skills and qualifications that the employer is looking for in the job description and make another list of your

Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

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education, college training, past employment, volunteer experience, and interests. Match your most relevant experiences with the skills that the employer has requested. Then organize your skills and experience into paragraphs that clearly explain how you are a fit for the position. Make your paragraphs address key qualifications like education, work experience and technical skills. TIP: For ideas on how to arrange the content of a cover letter into effective paragraphs, visit: http://www.sheridancollege.ca/services/student%20support%20services/career%20centre/~/ media/WF_02_SS_Careers_018/Preparing%20 Your%20Cover%20Letter%20Web%20PDF.ashx 5. Edit and Proofread: Once you have ensured that you have all the components of the cover letter and that it gives a clear picture of your accomplishments and what you have to contribute, do a final proofread for grammar, spelling, and correct format structure. For additional feedback, bring your completed cover letter into the Career Centre for a consultant to review. TIP: get at least two other people to look over your cover letter. A fresh pair of eyes will be able to point out mistakes that you, as the writer, can easily overlook.

Putting Knowledge into Practise: Online Activity Now that you have a step by step guide on how to write and format a cover letter, it is time to create your own. Optimal Resume writing tool/software is available to you for life as a full time student and as an alumna. It requires that you have a Sheridan email address and to create a profile (which takes 10 minutes) in order to begin developing your cover letter. This link will bring you to a handout that guides you step by step how to begin writing your cover letter. In this next section your task is... Using the 5 step plan and Optimal Resume, create a cover letter. Start by selecting a job posting of interest and creating an Optimal Resume Account: https://sheridaninstitute.optimalresume.ca/login. php Continue by following the steps 1 through 5 of the cover letter plan, ensuring that you: A) Research employer expectations and your own skills B) Align your skills with the needs of the employer in order to create a targeted cover letter C) Assess your cover letter by ensuring that you have followed the 5 step plan

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Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

D) Evaluate your cover letter with the Career Cen- Consultant during your full time training in college and as a graduate of Sheridan to review your tre cover letter. Additional readings and information: Upon completion of this module, you will have: The readings below provide you with further inUtilized technology to create a targeted formation about cover letters and what you should • cover letter and have your letter stored for years to include and avoid including in your letters. come in a large database system http://www.cecs.uoguelph.ca/students/cover_letAssessed your cover letter for necessary ters an extensive overview on writing cover letters • components for inclusion http://www.jobpostings.ca/article/cover-lettersEvaluated your college training achieveand-how-make-them-not-suck general tips on do’s • ments and what to include in your cover letter and don’ts http://graduate.dartmouth.edu/careers/services/ letters.html a description of different letters in the job search process including thank you letters and acceptance/decline letters

Summary: Writing and formatting letters, like the cover letter you developed, becomes much easier when broken into manageable tasks, like most work you were required to perform on the job or in your college program. We have broken down the letter writing process into steps to help identify the process and what a letter needs to include. Once you complete this online training, you will have a cover letter created and we invite you to visit an Employment

• Research competencies, skills and employer expectations • Solved the gap problem between what you learned in college and what the employer requires you to perform on the job • Decide and prioritize what to include in your cover letter that targets your desired role or field • Develop self-management skills as you work through this cover letter developing strategy step by step

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Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

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Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

Career Education and Management: Module 4: Letter Writing

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