Hey Edsters,
I remember the massive relief I felt (and massive celebratory slice of cake I inhaled) when I finished my last college application essay. That’s the last time I’ll ever have to write a concise, well-worded piece to an institution explaining my why I love them, my talents, and how I’d make a great fit, I thought—Guess I forgot about cover letters.
Your future job depends on them. Here’s four tips to try the next time you’re racking your brain.
1. Never open with “To whom it may concern”
This honorific is bland and overused, so even if the listing doesn’t provide a contact name, you shouldn’t use it. Show the magazine or company you did some research by looking up who your application will likely go to. If you’re applying for an internship with the beauty department, address your letter to the beauty editor; if you’re going for a position in the fashion closet, figure out who the fashion assistant is. There’s no “wrong answer,” because even if you pick the wrong person, you’re showing a willingness to do more than the minimum. Plus, addressing your application to a specific person is the quickest way to get it separated from the masses and into someone’s inbox.
2. Concentrate on what you can do for them
Sure, it’s fine to mention what you hope to gain from the internship, but the main focus of your letter should be what you can offer. According to my supervisor, she routinely receives cover letters that spend entire paragraphs discussing all of the skills they’d learn by working at the magazine, with barely any room left for why she should hire them to work there in the first place. Don’t become an awful cover letter anecdote. Dedicate most of what you write to how your presence will benefit your (hopefully) future employers.
3. Discuss your previous experience—but not all of it
Your work history is already on your resume, so your cover letter is the place to develop and explain your most relevant prior positions. Choose two or three jobs you had in the past and explain how what they taught you will be applicable at this internship. When writing this part, it’s a great idea to bring up the job description again and look at the skills they’re asking for. Incorporate those skills into your cover letter.
4. Use their style
Take a couple hours to really familiarize yourself with the magazine’s writing style. Not only should you note their tone (friendly? didactic? sassy?) but you should also try to figure out what rulebook they’re using so you can adopt it. If they’re using AP style, don’t include any Oxford commas in your cover letter. Obviously, your cover letter shouldn’t sound like it’s been lifted from their pages, but your writing should make you seem like you’d fit in at the magazine. This is a great place to incorporate any key phrases or words the magazine employs again and again.
I’ve covered everything I’ve picked up on cover letters in these last couple months. Hopefully, this tips will help you next time you’re applying for an internship (that you found on Ed2010, of course!)
Let me know if I missed any tips in the comments!
Web Intern
