Cover Letter Assignment

Purpose         

Applying for a job is something most of us do many times during our working career. Sometimes opportunities come up when we least expect them, so it is always a good idea to maintain an up-to-date resume and cover letter that you can modify as needed. While we do not assign a resume in this class, you can get help on resume writing beyond what is offered in your textbook from the college’s Career Planning and Placement office.

What we do cover in this class are application messages or cover letters, hence this assignment!

Your Task:       

Assume that you have found a posting for a job in your field and have decided to send in your resume and cover letter to accompany it. (You don’t have to prepare a resume--just the cover letter.)   

Follow the advice provided:

1) Use a persuasive organization – Convince the reader to take action in reading your resume and giving you an interview.

2) Gain the receiver’s attention – Tell us something that will make you stand out from the others applying for this job as a well-qualified candidate.

3) Provide evidence of your qualifications – Telling us you are creative is not as effective as giving us examples of that creativity. Evidence is key here.

4) Encourage action – Provide contact information and ask for specific action.

For the purposes of this assignment, you can make up fictional information about the specific job and the recipient of this letter. However, the company name should be an actual company where they might have such jobs posted. Note: You must write the cover letter for your current situation as a student who is working on a BBA management degree, not for when you have completed your degree. In other words, don't make up information about yourself as you hope to be in the future.

Tip: Remember that job titles, academic fields, and titles of degrees are not capitalized in text.