Cover Letter Assignment & Annotation Submit Assignment
Cover Letter Prompt:
Find a (real) position, internship, or opportunity (e.g. graduate school) you would like to (ideally) apply for in your chosen field/major.
Write a (roughly) 250-word letter that does the following:
Formally introduces yourself.
Addresses the specific job opening or opportunity.
Demonstrates how your experiences and abilities make you a great fit for this position.
Thanks them for their consideration.
Annotation Prompt:
In a separate document, you’ll be annotating your document in a short reflection. Please address the following:
Explain why you’ve chosen to “apply” to this particular opportunity and company.
Briefly list any difficulties you had while writing this letter.
Identify and explain three rhetorical choices (arguments, words, appeals, persuasion techniques, ethos, logos, pathos, etc.) that you chose to include in your letter.
List at least one question you have for me about your cover letter.
Suggestions:
In a cover letter, you are expressing your interest in a specific position. You will use this platform to demonstrate how your experience will help you succeed in this position. In short, you are showing how you suit their needs.
When reading a job listing, find two to four concrete details they are looking for in a candidate. In your letter, target these by recalling specific experiences that would bring your resume alive.
Show, don’t tell. “I am hard-working” is a sentence found in most cover letters, which makes it quite useless and vague. Demonstrate when/how you have put in “hard work” and show how this is applicable to the position.
Show you have done your research: If an applicant’s cover letter doesn’t seem to address the company or position clearly, most employers assume the applicant is just sending out the same letter to everyone.
This is especially important if you do not have much experience that relates to the position for which you are applying. Show them that you, above all others, pay attention to their current initiatives and projects.
