with the cover letter and resume

Resume Templates

Resume samples

Create and edit your resume online

Generate compelling resumes with our AI resume builder and secure employment quickly.

Write a cover letter

Take a look at our cover letter guides and examples, to help you write a cover letter that complement your resume and enhace your applications.

Cover Letter Examples

Cover Letter Samples

Create and edit your cover letter

Use our user-friendly tool to create the perfect cover letter.

The Ultimate Cover Letter Writing Guide

The complete guide to writing an effective cover letter.

Any of these sound familiar? The simple answer is yes, having an effective cover letter is completely necessary and highly recommended and we’ll tell you why you need a cover letter as well as a resume!

When you’re applying for a job, whether it be for an entry-level position after graduating or for a high-level executive vacancy with a professional resume , a cover letter is essential to make your application stand out .

Without this extra introductory letter, a resume alone could easily be discarded by a hiring manager. CareerBuilder estimates you’re 10% more likely to miss out on an opening if you don’t include a cover letter.

Writing a good cover letter it’s not a skill many many people master, but that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible feat!

With our complete cover letter guide , you’ll learn how to write a cover letter that will attract the hiring manager and convince them to read your winning resume.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is an extension to your job application. It is not obligatory but including a well-written cover letter is strongly advised by all human resource experts . By definition, a cover letter is an accompanying, explanatory letter.

All jobseekers need a sales pitch of sorts, they need to hook the reader and demonstrate to the hiring manager why they are the right person for the vacancy on offer. This style of self-marketing for a job application must come in the form of a winning resume and cover letter combination that complement one another.

A simple cover letter is an introduction to the candidate behind the qualifications and experience. The aim is to show a prospective employer how you can take on the role and what you can offer the company in question.

Cover letters generally follow a basic structure and can be in either hard or digital format, that is to say, either printed and sent via regular mail or as a document scanned and attached to send digitally, or written directly in an email cover letter .

Why include a cover letter on a job application?

If you want to stand any chance at all of catching the eye of a potential employer , it is imperative to include a cover letter with your job application.

Simple – even if you create an effective, outstanding resume , using all the right keywords and qualifications etc. it’s possible there are candidates more qualified than you or with more experience so it’s necessary to add a cover letter to back up your resume and allow the hiring manager to see more of your personal side that is relevant to the vacancy.

The cover letter demonstrates your communication skills.
The cover letter serves as an introduction to the resume.
The cover letter can be used to emphasize certain skills, or mention skills that you couldn’t fit on the resume (it serves as an addendum).
The cover letter is what you customize for each position, to show why you are the right person for “That” role, as opposed to the resume which stays pretty much the same for all applications.

A cover letter is the added value that you need in a job application to ensure the call-back you’ve been waiting for.

To create a unique, tailor-made job application , each candidate should use a cover letter to highlight their strengths and elaborate on relevant achievements that demonstrate their ability to take on the new responsibilities.

Is it practically always sensible and appropriate to write a cover letter to accompany a resume for a job application that should be customized for the role you’re applying to including any explanations of information that might be missing from the resume, such as employment gaps, traveling, periods of study etc.

The only time it is acceptable to not include a cover letter in your job application is if the job listing specifically requests that you do not.

Advantages of Writing a Cover Letter

A cover letter directly adds to the likelihood that you are called in for an interview and gives you a better chance of being hired .

If you’re successful in writing an effective cover letter , it will offer you the following advantages:

Hiring managers will see your added effort
Demonstrates you put in the time to learn about the company
It will add a personal touch to your application
It shows your enthusiasm for the opening
Hiring managers will become acquainted with your best qualities

Knowing exactly what is in a cover letter will ensure that it gives you a major advantage over the other applicants.

What are the 3 Types of Cover Letters?

Adding a cover letter is almost always essential, but choosing the appropriate letter will also be key. Depending on the job post you are applying for, you will need to select the best type of letter to send along with your resume.

There are 3 types of cover letters that you can send to a hiring manager. The 3 types are:

Application cover letters
Letters of Interest
Email Cover letters

The letter you write is influenced by whether you are going to apply for a job directly , citing a referral, or asking about vacancies that are not advertised.

Whatever the case may be, ensure that the cover letter is specific to the job vacancy . It’s always important to avoid making a generic cover letter for every single job you apply for.

So, what are the 3 types of cover letters you should consider sending to a job recruiter?

Application Cover Letter

This is your classic cover letter that you send to a hiring manager when you spot a company advertising a job opening. When you want to directly apply for a position, it is mandatory to send this, unless you are specifically asked not to.

Using this letter, you can mention why you want to work for a specific company and why you are the perfect candidate for the position.

Letter of Interest

Say you notice a company that you would really like to work for. It fits your sector, and you know it offers great benefits and good pay. However, you can’t find any openings that match your skill set.

If that’s the case, you don’t need to sit around and wait for the company to have a job vacancy. You can take action with a letter of interest. This type of cover letter states your interest in being employed by a company that isn’t currently advertising any vacancies.

This type of letter goes by a couple of other names, such as:

Letter of intent
Statement of interest

Of course, since there is no vacancy there is no role you can specifically mention, which is the major difference between a letter of intent and a traditional cover letter. Your objective will be to advertise yourself well enough that an employer will just have to interview you.

Email Cover Letters

Over the years, the job application process has shifted to a nearly 100% online hiring process . Due to this, it may be necessary to send your cover letter in an email as part of your job application.

While applying, there may not be an option to upload your cover letter. Or maybe you would just like to send it in the body of your email along with your resume . You can send it in one of two ways, in the body of your email or as an attachment (in PDF).

How to write a cover letter

A cover letter, although short in length generally, can take time to elaborate as it is important to get it right. Sometimes, due to the scarce space for writing, candidates find it difficult to know what to include in a cover letter and what to leave out .

However, knowing how to do a cover letter can make all the difference to your job application and be the just the thing to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

A professional cover letter should be well-formatted, following a structure with a header, an opening paragraph, a second main paragraph, a final closing paragraph and a closing with signature/electronic signature.

To begin writing a cover letter for a job application , candidates should analyze their skills, qualifications, accomplishments and experience to decide which are the most fundamental aspects to include in their personalized cover letter.

Next, each jobseeker will have to select the most job-relevant of these elements to include by comparing them with the required or desired qualifications and experience in the job description.

Finally, the applicant should choose some memorable examples which demonstrate evidence of each element included in their cover letter, aiming to tell a story which shows their aptitude concerning each skill or qualification.

Jobseekers should also ensure to explore how to make a cover letter for their specific role or industry because, similarly to resumes, each cover letter should be tailored for the vacancy and company to which it will be sent.

It is vital for candidates to consider several factors when it comes to writing their professional cover letter . A jobseeker must review their resume work history section as well as any skills and honors included to find the most pertinent experiences that can be explored further. Detailing examples of when a candidate demonstrated certain abilities or expertise is how a candidate can convince a hiring.

One way to create a winning cover letter is to use an online cover letter creator or take advantage of cover letter templates as a stepping stone as well as checking out cover letter examples that can serve as a great source of inspiration for you to make your own unique cover letter .

Our cover letter builder forms part of our resume builder and allows jobseekers to create a more complete job application. Users can write their cover letter with pro tips and design help thanks to our pre-designed templates. Read our cover letter writing guide to get to grips with cover letter writing techniques and tips before using our online cover letter builder!

How to Structure a Cover Letter

The structure and layout of a cover letter is essential to make sure the letter displays each point that you wish to get across clearly and concisely . This means it’s necessary, in general, to follow a commonly-accepted format for an effective cover letter.

Similarly to a resume format , designing and writing a cover letter has certain rules which should be adhered to in order to convey the necessary information in a brief and to the point introductory letter.

Check out some of the cover letter best practices as advised by human resources experts below:

It’s imperative to begin a cover letter with a header , including the candidate’s name and contact information as well as the date. This primary cover letter section can also include the job title, website and other relevant personal information.

Following this, the letter should include the details of the company and person to whom you are writing, with the full name, job title or team, company name and address.

The main body of a cover letter should be divided into three sections : an introduction, a bullet list of accomplishments followed by a paragraph highlighting skills, and a closing paragraph inviting the hiring manager to contact you. By using bullet points when detailing your achievements and capabilities, you can make sure that recruiters will be able to quickly pick out key information. This is especially important as studies have found that recruiters spend very little time reading each individual application.
Finally, the letter should be electronically or physically signed with your full name in a formal manner.

The universally-accepted cover letter length is no longer than one letter page, which in total has about 250-300 words for the main body of text.

Don’t repeat information or be too detailed because hiring managers simply do not have the time to read it all and will simply skip to the next one. Resumes that run over 600 words get rejected 43% faster and cover letters can easily fall into this trap too.

Keep your cover letter short and sweet and to the point!

Get more cover letter formatting advice in our guide on how to format a cover letter with tips and information about all aspects of a good cover letter structure.

Cover letter advice

The importance of including a cover letter with your job application is often overlooked by jobseekers of all categories, however this can seriously reduce your possibilities of getting an interview with a prospective employer.

Therefore you need not ask yourself when to write a cover letter because the answer is just that simple – it is always appropriate to include a cover letter in your job application , unless the listing explicitly requests that you do not.

Check out the following expert cover letter tips to create a winning cover letter that will convince the hiring manager to give you a call:

We may be quite repetitive with this one but the sheer quantity of resumes and cover letters that are disregarded simply for forgetting this vital and basic rule is incredible: USE A PROFESSIONAL EMAIL ADDRESS for your contact details and that does not include your current work email but a personal, suitable email address.
It is essential to remember to maintain your focus on the needs of the company you’re applying to and the requirements and desired abilities of the ideal candidate for the role. Do not focus on how you can benefit by becoming a member of their team, but on how the team can make the most of your experience and knowledge.
Remember to highlight your transferable skills , especially in cases where you may not meet all the required qualities in the job description such as in student resumes and cover letters.
Each cover letter for a job application, cover letters for internships , for further study or even volunteer experience should be tailored to their specific organization and position with the pertinent keywords.
Use specific examples to demonstrate the candidate’s individual capacity to take on the role and tell a story with your cover letter to convey more of your personality and passion towards the sector or profession.
Towards the end of a cover letter , each candidate should write a convincing finish to entice the hiring manager and in sales terminology “ seal the deal ”.
Finally when you have completed your polished cover letter, potentially one of the most important steps in the process is to PROOFREAD . Candidates should request that a friend, mentor, teacher or peer takes a look at their cover letter for not only grammatical and spelling errors but also any unwanted repetition or unrelated information .

Some jobseekers doubt whether a cover letter is necessary or not , but as most human resource professionals agree without a well-written cover letter, candidates lose the possibility to demonstrate different aspects of their profile from those included in their resumes which could easily be the deciding factor in your application!

An easy and fast way to write an effective cover letter for a job application is to employ an online cover letter creator that will offer advice on how to complete a cover letter with examples and HR-approved templates.

Cover Letter FAQs

What do employers look for in a cover letter, can a cover letter be two pages, what is the difference between a cover letter and a resume, should you put a photo on a cover letter.

Trouble getting your Cover Letter started?

Beat the blank page with expert help.

Jump to navigation

Find People
Life at Pacific

Weather Alert: High Winds

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory from 4 p.m. Tuesday through 4 a.m. Wednesday. Beware of hazardous conditions on campus, including downed trees and branches. El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional emitió un aviso de viento a partir de las 4 p.m. De martes a miércoles a las 4 a.m. Tenga cuidado con las condiciones peligrosas en el campus, incluidos árboles y ramas caídos.

Details/ Detalles

Resume & Cover Letter Writing

Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Tips

Guide to writing a resume, gather information.

Begin by doing everything possible to discover what the organization's looking for. The posted job description will reveal the initial clues.

Read whatever information is supplied carefully, maybe asking someone you know to read it and verify your understanding.
Discuss your impressions with a mentor or with someone from the Career Development Center to arrive at a clear understanding of what the employer is seeking.
Study the organization's web site.
Research the organization using outside sources.
Discover whatever insider information you can via people you know.

Once you have a pretty clear idea of what they're seeking, your mission is clear: Address every aspect of the job requirements in your resume (and cover letter), and convince the reader to conclude that you definitely ought to be invited in for an interview. Another way to look at it: Don't give them a reason not to call you.

Remember: Many hiring managers and recruiters approach the task of sifting through sometimes hundreds of resumes by looking for red flags — instant disqualifiers such as lack of basic requirements, atrocious writing, sloppy mistakes, etc. These jump off the page in a few seconds and prevent good points from being taken seriously. So, the harder the readers have to search for red flags, the longer they'll end up spending on your resume and the greater the chances you'll make a favorable impression.

Start Writing

Once you're clear on the job description and organization, it's time to get to the actual writing. Again, remember that you will write several resumes, so discard immediately the notion that your goal here is to produce the perfect resume. It truly is a work in progress, and no matter how much effort you put into it now and how fantastic it may turn out to be, it'll be outdated in a few months.

You might find it easiest, as you start writing, to err on the side of overwriting. Include everything you can possibly think of in your background shows your skills, experience and education.

Next, you'll need to organize the information. There are many possibilities. The key is to keep the needs and interests of your potential readers in mind. Most top-notch resumes include the following sections.

State what you're seeking. Here is an example:

Economics graduate seeking analyst position in small-to mid-size Oregon-based company seeking international business. Particular interest in facilitating cross cultural communications and partnerships. Enjoy providing research and analysis to support business decisions.

Next, highlight the assets you're offering in a profile section. Here is an example:

Graduated magna cum laude. Able to sift through large amounts of data and competing priorities to deliver top-notch results. Speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese with native fluency. One-year of study at East China Normal University, plus extensive travel experience in Asia. Facility and interest in using technology to maximize results. Experience using pivot tables and other advanced Excel functions, as well as with using Access and SPSS to analyze data. Fluent with MS Office. Outstanding communication and presentation skills. Experience distilling complex information into readily understandable and compelling conclusions for general and specialized audiences alike.

Educational Background

Your highest level or two of education with some description of courses.

BS, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR | May 2003 Major(s): Economics, Chinese | Minor: Philosophy | Study Abroad, East China Normal University July 2016 – April 2016 Courses in language, culture, economics, and business.

Related Work Experience

The key to a compelling job description is to convey these three messages:

The facts: your title, employer, location, dates of employment.
Your job description: a clear sense of your role and responsibilities, including enough information about the work setting itself to allow the reader to grasp the nature of the organization and where you fit in.
Your accomplishments: things you accomplished for your employer, and for yourself. Even if all you did was pump gas at Chevron, you should be able to articulate things you learned and gained from the experience, so the reader can see that it developed skill and capacity in you. (If you feel that it didn't, then why list it on your resume?)

First Technology Credit Union, Beaverton, Oregon | August 2019 to Present Human Resources Assistant Responsible for recruiting process, from initial interview through orientation. Also coordinate and administer benefit packages for 175 employees. Oversee and maintain Human Resource Information System. Assist with dispute resolution. Recently coordinated hiring and orientation process of 8 branches as credit union assets increased from $280 million to $520 million. Administered transition from defined benefit retirement plan to 401K plan. Developed 401K education program and increased participation by 7%. Organized first annual professional development conference among Portland area credit unions. Received 2003 Regional Achievement Award.

If you don't have much to list under the heading of Related Work Experience, then be sure to think broadly about what's "related." Think about s kills and accomplishments and how they relate to your objective —don't just think in terms of job titles. List related experiences of all sorts, not just paying jobs.

Employers like to gain a clear sense of your work history also to verify that you have been working and developing a set of references. If you have other work experiences that round out your background, but don't fit neatly under "Related Work Experience," consider adding an "Additional Experience" section:

Additional Experience Barista, Starbucks Coffee, Beaverton, OR, May 2019 – December 2019 Checker, Albertson's Grocery, Hillsboro, OR, May 2018 – September 2018

Resumes can include many other components, such as Related Courses, Research Experience, Project Experience, Honors and Awards, Committees and Memberships, etc. Visit the Career Development Center for assistance incorporating these elements into your resumes.

What's the difference between a resume and curriculum vitae?

A curriculum vitae (CV) or vita is a different sort of resume. For graduate school applications, it'll frequently be called a vita or vitae. Similar to a resume, you should write a CV with an eye toward putting your best foot forward, but it's expected that it'll be a bit more comprehensive than a typical resume. You'll want to include lots of the academic highlights of your college career that you might not necessarily mention in a resume for a job application. Be sure to get help from professors and career staff if working on a resume or vita for graduate school applications.

More Resources for Resume Writing

Resume checklist
List of resume-enhancing words
How to describe experiences
Resume Examples

Writing a Cover Letter

Crafting a cover letter is another important step of the job-seeking process. We are happy to help guide you in this process — just make an appointment with a career advisor today.

Resources for Cover Letter Writing

Cover letter checklist
Cover letter template

Tips for Interviewing

Practice common questions you might receive in an interview with our Prepping for Interview Questions guide or the STAR Method . We've prepared a STAR Method Worksheet and Interview Readiness Worksheet .

We're here to help!

At any stage in your journey, our team is here to offer guidance and resources. You can reach us at [email protected] or schedule an appointment online.

Academic & Career Advising [email protected]

Pacific University's Career Development Center, along with the other Oregon liberal arts college career centers, has assisted in the development for a free job search site for students .

Career advisors are assigned by career cluster to initiate the career advising process. Feel free to schedule an appointment with any of the career advisors.

IMAGES

How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]
60+ Cover Letter Examples in 2024 [For All Professions]
How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]
Resume vs. Cover Letter
FREE 6+ Sample Resume Cover Letter Templates in PDF
32 Best Sample Cover Letter Examples for Job Applicants