Writing “Cover Letter”

See pg#394-396 for examples.

Instructions:
You will write a 1 page cover letter addressing the company that you've found (job
posting assignment). 
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Dine-Strategy/jobs
Note: If your job posting happens to be for your future career, you may include the
required experiences in your letter. Also, we will be using Turnitin Submissions to check
for plagiarism. 
Directions: In your cover letter, you should:

o Be as clear as possible about the kind of opportunity you seek.
o Show that you understand the company and the position.
o Never volunteer salary information unless an employer asks for it.
o Keep it short—no more than three or four paragraphs.
o Show some personality and include keywords found in the job post.
o Project confidence without being arrogant.
o Don’t just repeat the information from your résumé.

Note: Application letter is the same as a Cover letter.

 A solicited application letter is in response to an announced job opening and

you’ll usually know what qualifications the organization is seeking.
 An unsolicited application letter is sent to an organization that has not
announced an opening, so you’ll need to do some research to identify the
requirements the position is likely to have.

Tips: Because application letters are persuasive messages, please use the AIDA (pg#226)
approach to organize them.
The opening paragraph of your application letter has two important tasks to accomplish:

o Clearly stating your reason for writing
o Giving the recipient a reason to keep reading by demonstrating that
you have some immediate potential for meeting the company’s
needs
 To build interest and create a desire in the middle section of your application letter, try
to:

o Be specific and back up your assertions with convincing evidence.

o Be sure to discuss each requirement specified in the ad (if you’re
writing a solicited letter).
o Mention salary requirements only if the organization has asked you
to state them.
o Refer the reader to your résumé by citing a specific fact or general
point covered there.

The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions:

o To ask the reader for a specific action (usually an interview)
o To facilitate a reply

To motivate action, you should:

 Offer to come to the employer’s office (or its nearest representative) at a

convenient time.
 Include your email address and phone number, as well as the best time to
reach you, or you could take the initiative and say that you will follow up with
a phone call.

Cover Letter

Criteria Ratings Pts

This criterion is linked to a 20 to >0.0 pts 0 pts 20 pts

Learning
OutcomeIntroduction:
The opening paragraph of
your application letter has
two important tasks to
accomplish:
Full Marks No
The opening paragraph of your application letter has two important tasks to Marks
accomplish: Clearly stating your reason for writing Giving the recipient a reason to
keep reading by demonstrating that you have some immediate potential for meeting
the company’s needs

Clearly stating your reason

for writing
Giving the recipient a
reason to keep reading by
demonstrating that you
 Cover Letter

Criteria Ratings Pts

have some immediate

potential for meeting the
company’s needs

This criterion is linked to a

Learning OutcomeBody
To build interest and create
a desire in the middle
section of your application
letter, try to:

Be specific and back up

15 to >0.0 pts 0 pts
your assertions with Full Marks No
convincing evidence. To build interest and create a desire in the middle section of your application letter, Marks
Be sure to discuss each try to: Be specific and back up your assertions with convincing evidence. Be sure to
15 pts
requirement specified in discuss each requirement specified in the ad (if you’re writing a solicited letter).
Mention salary requirements only if the organization has asked you to state them.
the ad (if you’re writing a Refer the reader to your résumé by citing a specific fact or general point covered
solicited letter). there.
Mention salary
requirements only if the
organization has asked you
to state them.
Refer the reader to your
résumé by citing a specific
fact or general point
covered there.

This criterion is linked to a

Learning
OutcomeConclusion:
The final paragraph of your
15 pts 0 pts
application letter has two
Full Marks No
important functions: The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions: To ask Marks
the reader for a specific action (usually an interview) To facilitate a reply To
15 pts
To ask the reader for a motivate action, you should: Offer to come to the employer’s office (or its nearest
specific action (usually an representative) at a convenient time. Include your email address and phone number,
as well as the best time to reach you, or you could take the initiative and say that
interview) you will follow up with a phone call.
To facilitate a reply
To motivate action, you
should:
 Cover Letter

Criteria Ratings Pts

Offer to come to the

employer’s office (or its
nearest representative) at a
convenient time.
Include your email address
and phone number, as well
as the best time to reach
you, or you could take the
initiative and say that you
will follow up with a phone
call.

Total Points: 50

Cover Letter