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Cover Letter Tips
Cover letters are very unique documents. They reflect you, your experience, and your
aspirations, and they attempt to answer the question: Why should an employer hire you? We do
not include model cover letters in this handout as we do model resumes, because we do not want
all of your cover letters to read the same. There are, however, general tips for cover letter
writing that you should follow.
1. Use the same header (name, address, telephone, email) on your cover letter as you do
on your resume. Doing so makes your documents look consistent and professional.
2. When stating the addressee’s name, do not include both a title and the term “Esq.”
Thus, “Ms. Jane Smith, Esq.” is incorrect. If the individual is a lawyer, use “Jane Smith, Esq.”
If the addressee is not a lawyer, use “Ms. Jane Smith.”
3. The salutation should rarely be, “To whom it may concern.” You might as well write,
“Dear Occupant.” Always use the name of a person in the prospective employer’s office. Talk
with a counselor about how to get these names. Accordingly, the salutation of a cover letter
should always be something like, “Dear Ms. Smith:” In a business letter, always use a colon at
the conclusion of a salutation.
4. Do not start your cover letter, “My name is Bill Jones….” An employer knows your
name from the header on your cover letter. Instead, start you letter with something like, “I am a
first-year student at Touro Law Center, and I am interested in a summer position with your
office.” In other words, tell the employer where you are from and why you are writing.
5. The tone of a cover letter should always be what you bring to the table, that is, what
skills and experience you have that will lead the employer to believe you are the right person for
the job. You should avoid focusing on how much experience you are going to receive from the
job, or how interesting it is will be for you. Your guide should always be: What is in it for the
employer?
6. Your cover letter should not simply repeat the descriptions in your resume. Rather,
your cover letter is a teaser to your resume, and should summarize it. Your cover letter also may
include information that is not included in your resume, such as particularly good grades in
subject areas relevant to the employer. Remember, your letter should focus on what the
employer does and the skills you have that would be useful to the employer.
7. Do not conclude a cover letter with something to the effect, “I hope to hear from you
soon,” as it sounds rather presumptuous. You will hear from the employer when the employer is
ready. The closing of the letter should include: Sincerely, and your name. Do not forget to sign
your letter.
8. You should have a counselor review each cover letter you send out.
These tips are encapsulated in the cover letter mock-up on the following page.