COVER LETTER FORMAT
General: Cover letters should not exceed one page in length and should be written for a specific position. Utilizing a generic cover letter to apply to multiple positions is not recommended.
When emailing: Insert your cover letter as page one of your resume and identify this in your brief email. Your email can simply state that you are interested in a specific position, you appreciate their consideration, and attached is your resume and cover letter.
Your name and address as they appear on your resume
Date
Contact Person, Title (if available)
Company Name
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Hiring Representative or Contact Person:
First Paragraph—Introduction
Establishes the purpose of your letter, explains why you are interested in the position, and states why the employer should be interested in you for the position (interests, previous experience).
- State why you are writing by naming the specific position and direct personal interest in the company/role.
- Insert a brief sentence that gives your degree, major, college affiliation, and graduation date.
- Consider including how you heard about the position/employer. (For example, mention the contact person from whom you learned about the position).
- Conclude this paragraph with the skills you plan to highlight in your letter.
Middle Paragraph(s)—Body (1–2 paragraphs depending on background)
Generates interest with content that demonstrates you have researched the company, and that you are able to align your skills and interests with the company as well as its offered position.
- Indicate how you can help the employer achieve organizational goals in your specialty. Focus on what you can do for them rather than why you want the position.
- Highlight your most significant accomplishments, abilities, and experiences that are specifically relevant to the employer and job requirements.
- DO NOT SIMPLY RESTATE YOUR RESUME.Rather, elaborate and explain important experiences and personal qualities that cannot be indicated on a resume.
Final Paragraph—Closing
Concludes your letter and states your commitment to action.
- Consider summarizing your skills and experiences by connecting them directly to the company and/or position.
- Indicate that you are grateful for their consideration, and look forward to connecting with them in the future.
Sincerely,
Student Name
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
STUDENT NAME
(123) 456-7890 * [email protected]
September 23, 2024
Amazon
123 Street Name
Seattle, WA 98109
Dear Amazon Hiring Representative,
I am writing to apply for the Business Analyst position with Amazon. I believe that my creativity and ability to efficiently solve complex problems are well suited to Amazon’s culture of continuous innovation. I am intrigued by the opportunity to create efficient business processes as Amazon innovates, invents, and engineers on multiple fronts across a variety of industries. I am currently a junior at the University of Michigan studying Industrial and Operations Engineering and plan to graduate with my B.S.E. in May 2024. I am confident that I possess the project management and data analysis skills to be successful in this role.
In the summer of 2024, I worked as a Research Assistant at the Center for Ergonomics at the University of Michigan. In this role, I stepped in to continue the work that had been started to assist LG in improving their vacuum design as it related to customer usage. This involved designing a survey that participants would complete prior to taking part in a lab study. Information from this survey would enable the study to run more efficiently. I worked independently creating this survey; I was self-motivated and set goals along the way to ensure timely completion. The completed product was so well received by representatives at LG that they decided to utilize the survey nationally rather than locally, which had been previously planned.
I demonstrated my strong skills in analyzing and interpreting data this past semester in a Data Processing class. I was part of a project team that examined information related to customer experience metrics of a car dealership, including vehicle purchase date, inclusion of additional warranty, lease vs. purchase, etc. Our task was to develop software to predict the point at which an escalated customer complaint would likely develop into a lawsuit. After receiving 77MB of data to analyze, we developed metrics in SQL and used statistical analysis tools in Minitab and Excel. The model that I created accurately predicted when a lawsuit would not occur with 99.5% accuracy and when a lawsuit may occur within 80% accuracy.
I believe that through these experiences, along with my demonstrated leadership through my Resident Advisor and Peer Advisor roles, I have developed a unique combination of skills that have prepared me well for Amazon’s Business Analyst position. I appreciate your time and consideration, and I look forward to discussing my qualifications with you further during an upcoming interview.
Sincerely,
Student Name