Cover letter writing

Writing your cover letter

Tips as you prepare to write:

Emphasize your contributions to the employer rather than what the job will do for you
Identify and include keywords from the job posting
Decide how many body paragraphs to include and how to organize them – there is no set number, so choose the approach that best communicates your suitability
Avoid using clichés or generic phrases as they are overused and have less impact
Proofread your document and, if possible, ask someone for feedback on it
Avoid repeating exactly what’s contained in any portion of your résumé. Use this opportunity to elaborate further on relevant points

The following sections provide more detail on each component of a cover letter.

Introductory paragraph
Body paragraphs
Final paragraph

Introductory paragraph

As the name suggests, you’re introducing what interests you about the role you’re applying to, your career motivations and what makes you a good fit. You want your introduction to engage the reader and hook them in so they keep reading right to the end!

The approach you use to begin your cover letter takes into account:

The position, employer and the norms of the sector
How you want to introduce yourself

Final sentence of your introduction

There are many options available to you. Consider finishing the introductory paragraph with either:

A summarizing sentence that outlines the information you plan on sharing in the body paragraphs. Knowing what's coming can make your reader’s job much easier, as they’ll know what to expect.

Example:

I plan to convey how my skills, qualifications and values are a good fit for the student advisor position with the Co-operative and Experiential Education department at the University of Waterloo.

OR

An expression of interest or passion in the role and/or organization. This approach can promote greater alignment and connection between you and the reader.

Introductory paragraph - Different approaches and examples

The following is a list of approaches available to you. Reviewing them may help you begin thinking creatively about how you'd like to begin your cover letter. There may be an approach that you like but don’t feel comfortable using for whatever reason. Some approaches might better reflect your personality.

Expand the following content for more information.

Demonstrate your commitment to an organizations’ core mission and values by highlighting a particular motivation for dedicating yourself to the target role and/or sector.

If someone referred you to the job, for example a current employee at the target organization, you could, with their consent, include their name and title or department in the introductory paragraph. When an employer hires internally, they can often more easily assess an internal candidate’s potential contribution to a role than that of an external candidate whom they’re unfamiliar with. Including the name of an employee that you know or other strong connection to the organization is the next best thing.

Hiring managers want to know that you’ll make a positive contribution to the organization. But they also want to know why you want to work with them specifically. Conveying the main reason you’re applying to the role and/or the organization will start you off on the right foot. Avoid emphasizing the ways in which they will support your career, but rather how you will support their mission.

For those who feel confident about articulating an accomplishment or using a skill set and identifying how they can do so again for the target organization or team, this is the option for you! You’ll need to determine which contribution would be highly valued by the employer and connect it to something you’ve successfully delivered on in the past.

Body paragraphs are those paragraphs that appear between the introductory and concluding paragraph.

The job of the body paragraphs

Your body paragraphs provide concrete evidence for the claims you make in your résumé. They highlight your qualifications and achievements in relation to the position and integrate keywords from the job posting.
There is no set number of body paragraphs you can include or how to organize them – it's up to you to decide what approach communicates your suitability best.

Common ways to structure body paragraphs

There is no one right way to structure the content in your cover letter. Having said that, you should find out if your target sector or organization has strong preferences in terms of structure (as well as style, integrating common industry terms etc.) and consider how you might integrate them.

Below is a listing of several common approaches to structuring the body paragraphs of your cover letter. You may prefer to pick one approach and follow it or begin writing without reference to an overall structure.

The contexts for each experience (e.g., employment, volunteer work, co-op, graduate research) appear in bold below:

Expand the following content for more information.

If you’ve had one or more experiences identical to or with lots of overlap or similarity to the job requirements and that you think will impress the employer, you could devote an entire paragraph to each experience describing associated skills, competencies etc.

The final paragraph provides an opportunity to

Express gratitude to your reader for their time and consideration
Convey your openness to next steps in the process
Include a closing salutation and your name as a typed or e-signature (optional to include your pronouns)

You may also want to take this opportunity to introduce or expand on:

Your excitement to take on the role
Your alignment with the company’s mission and values
Your expected contribution in the role

Next: Cover letter template

Cervania, A. (2023, March 18) How to End a Cover Letter. Rezi. https://www.rezi.ai/posts/how-to-end-a-cover-letter

Indeed editorial team (2024, August 21) 8 Powerful Ways to Start a Cover Letter. Indeed. https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-start-a-cover-letter

Thompson, N. (2023, June 7) How to End a cover Letter (with tips and examples). Teal. https://www.tealhq.com/post/how-to-end-a-cover-letter

University of South Florida (n.d.) Cover letter samples. https://academicsuccess.ucf.edu/explearning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2021/09/Cover-Letter-Samples.pdf

York University (n.d.) Write an engaging cover letter. https://careers.yorku.ca/student_topic/write-an-engaging-cover-letter