Cover Letter Development

Hearing the words “cover letter” may cause you to break out in a cold sweat because, let’s face it, résumés and the concept of applying for a job or an internship are scary. It is nerve-wracking to think that in just a few pieces of paper, you are meant to use your skills and past work experience to show an employer how you would benefit their company. No need to fret! A cover letter is not as complicated as it may seem. It is more informal, allows you to show some of your personality to a potential employer, and serves as an introduction to your résumé. A cover letter is to a résumé as an appetizer is to a main course; if the appetizer is pleasing enough, it will leave the customer even more excited for the meal to come. Similarly, if your cover letter is intriguing, it will spark an employer’s interest in knowing more about you. Anytime you mail, fax, or email a résumé, a cover letter should be sent with it, and employers are more likely to review a résumé with a cover letter than without it.  Here are some tips on how you can organize your cover letter:

Let’s Get Technical: Format

The cover letter should be no longer than one page, based on a standard-size paper, and it should not be longer than four paragraphs. The margins should measure ½ to ¾ of an inch on all sides, and a professional font should be used such as Times New Roman or Arial in size 10- or 12-point font.

Organizing Your Content

1. Address the Individual

The beginning of a cover letter is similar to the beginning of a regular letter, meaning the individual you are writing to should be greeted and addressed by name and title. For example, you could start with “Dear Mr. Person-in-Charge” or “Dear Ms. Company Director.” If there is not a name to refer to, address the letter to HR, Personnel Director, or the head of the department where you are applying. It would definitely help you in the long-run to put forth the effort to find out who exactly you are addressing.

2. Show Off Your Skills

Remember the skills and work experience we were talking about earlier? Here is where you include them. Your main goal is to show how they will contribute to the company’s success. Relevancy is key, so make sure to review the job requirements to connect your expertise with the position for which you are applying.

Paragraph 1: What skills do you have to offer?

This paragraph should give a brief overview of your skills or work experience and affirm that they will benefit the company. Mention the company by name, and if the letter is in response to an advertisement, mention when and where the advertisement was seen.

Paragraphs 2 and 3: How exactly will the skills benefit the company?

These two paragraphs should provide an explanation of your previously stated skills. You should investigate the values and mission statement of the company and match your skills and achievements to them in order to accentuate your usefulness to the employer. You can also use this paragraph to emphasize significant parts of your résumé or add relevant strengths or accomplishments that were not included in it. For example, you can describe a specific situation and how your efforts contributed to a positive outcome.

3. Conclusion

This is where you tie it all together. Your last paragraph should invite the employer to follow up on your cover letter and résumé. It should be brief and show your optimistic ambition by expressing a desire for an interview. Some statements you can use are “Hope to hear from you soon.” or “Thank you for your time.” You can even take a direct approach and ask, “When can we arrange an interview?” Make sure to repeat your contact information (phone and email) so your potential employer can reach out to you.

You are almost finished! In order to make sure your cover letter is pristine and ready to go, review the format. Your cover letter should follow business letter etiquette:

1. Return address and phone number are located in the top right or left corner.
2. The date should be placed underneath the address.
3. The employer’s full address should be included, flush left margin.
4. It is unnecessary to indent paragraphs, but double space in between them for clarity.
5. You should include a salutation, followed by a written signature and your full name typed beneath it. If you are emailing it, you can type your name and make it look like a signature by using a cursive font.
6. If the cover letter is sent with a résumé, type “Enclosure” or “Encl.”

You have reached the finish line! Developing a cover letter may seem tedious, but taking the time to organize and sort out your content will enhance its quality. Your cover letter is your first introduction to a potential employer and is a complement to your résumé, so you want to provide a professional impression. This means ensuring you are being intentional and making the effort to learn about the company, the position you are applying for, and the person you are addressing. Check for correct grammar and use complete sentences in order to reflect professionalism. Throughout your cover letter, keep brevity in mind. Though elaboration is important, a cover letter should mainly showcase your personality before the employer looks at your résumé. Being concise also helps keep the cover letter within one page. Most importantly, be yourself. You are trying to show your own unique characteristics and capabilities, so you want your cover letter to reflect that. Happy applying!

Sources:

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/how-to-write-a-cover-letter/

https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-31-tips-you-need-to-know

Written by Deneen

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For more information on how to write a cover letter, check out our Cover Letter Development handout on the Quick Reference Flyer page of our website!

Are You at Work?

Today is the third Monday of February, and it’s a national holiday. Some choose to call it Washington’s birthday, but others, especially retailers, prefer the moniker Presidents Day. Many think it’s supposed to be “Presidents’ Day.” Historical events and the fickle nature of Americans caused the confusion. Now, before you get all bent out of shape at the accusation “fickle,” let’s take a short (really short because this writer has no dog in the race) gander at some history. We’ll go way, way back, all the way to 1732.

On February 22, George Washington was born. No doubt his parents wanted good and wonderful things for him, but they could not have foreseen that he would become the President of the United States of America. Heck, the U.S. didn’t exist as an entity when Washington entered the world. I’ll bet they didn’t even give him a toy musket for his birthday or worry that he’d shoot his eye out if he got one!

In the brief history, the next date that counts is 4 July 1776. I’ll bet you all know that epoch and why it matters so much. Yep. That is the day the Second Continental Congress decided that this country should break free from England and her taxes. The Declaration of Independence was actually written two days earlier, but all the t’s were crossed, i’s dotted, and signatures affixed on July 4, so that’s the day we celebrate.

Washington died in 1799, and the entire country grieved. It was decided, by the power of Congress or the People, that his birthday should become a day of remembrance. In 1879, that honoring became a real holiday through the stroke of President Rutherford B. Hayes’ pen, but only the District of Columbia got the benefit of the law. Finally, the entire country was extended the same pleasure in 1885.

Of course, you’d have to have lived your entire life under a rock not to know that good old George Washington was elected in the first presidential race that soon followed. But this story isn’t all about Washington. There is at least one more president important enough to mention by name: Abraham Lincoln. That tall, bearded icon entered the world on 12 February 1809. You all know that he wanted to unite the North and South and that he wrote the Gettysburg Address, and you also know we’ve never (really) stopped arguing since the first president. But that’s another story altogether. Lincoln is certainly important enough to celebrate.

Now we come around to some more disagreements. First of all, not every state thought we should add Lincoln’s day to the official holidays. Though it was observed in some states, it never became a national holiday. Still, school children already knew Lincoln’s birthday, and many people thought it should get stronger recognition. Nevertheless, Congress did nothing to add Lincoln’s birthday to the national roster of holidays.

What Congress did do was listen to labor unions, voices in the private sector, and employers who thought that moving holidays to Mondays and creating some three-day weekends would reduce employee absenteeism. Retailers loved the idea, knowing they could capitalize on it and create targeted sales when people were free to shop. Many suggested that Washington’s birthday be renamed Presidents’ Day to honor both Washington and Lincoln. Congress ignored that request, too. Calling it the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, Congress passed the measure in 1968, and in 1971, it took effect.

The population, though, preferred Presidents’ Day, and most people see it as an opportunity to honor all men who have served in the White House as the nation’s top executive. In truth, many of us see it as a day to shop. Not all employers add it to the official holidays they honor.

So, what are you doing today? Are you honoring Washington and Lincoln and other presidents? Are you shopping? Or are you, like me, at your desk working? No matter what you’re doing, at least you know why you don’t get any mail today. Some people are off celebrating our presidents.

Sources:

https://nationaltoday.com/presidents-day/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Presidents-Day

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/washington-birthday

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day

Written by Kā

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Celebrating Love

Ironically, the eldest person in our office is writing about, conceivably, the most romantic day of the year, at least according to Hallmark and retail candy/flower sales. Is Valentines Day really a construct of card companies? What is the history, and why on Earth do we celebrate the idea of love on what sometimes feels like a random day in February? History.com tells us that it’s possible to date the origin of this day all the way back to 6 Century B.C. and a festival called Lupercalia, where dogs and goats became sacrificial devices in fertility blessings. Women bore the brunt of what we’d now see as strange and horrific: they actually lined up to be literally hit with the bloody hides and enter a lottery allowing them to live with a particular man for a year!

As if that isn’t shocking enough, NPR and LifeHacker inform us that Pope Gelasius I desired to stop the pagan rituals. Toward that end, he dubbed the formerly bloody day for two Christian martyrs, Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni. The two men coincidentally lost their lives years apart, but on the same date in the 3^rd Century A.D. What are the chances?  Perfect apparently!

So, how did we get from the bloody fertility rites to the romantic ideas we entertain today? There are several answers to this question. First, and most simply, some think that the two Valentines were actually one man, who was responsible for performing illegal marriage rites for soldiers.  Others, Reader’s Digest included, point to the Normans and their celebration of Galatin’s Day. Since “galatin” means “lover” or “gallant,” the idea of romance is introduced both from the actions of St. Valentine and the language of the Norse. Geoffrey Chaucer underscored the romantic aspect of the day with his flowery words written to commemorate the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. In any case, people began to pen their own lovelorn notes by 1415. Among those who scribbled notable verses or letters are Duke of Orleans Charles, “A Farewell to Love,” and Shakespeare’s words embedded in “Hamlet.”

The Industrial Revolution brought a new spin on the practice, ushering in machine-made, mass-produced, straight-from-the-factory-to-the-retail-store cards that could be easily mailed. Hallmark Cards got in on the action in 1913, and Valentine’s Day (Keep that apostrophe, please! The day belongs to an actual person.) was reborn as a commercial holiday.

Chances are that if you’ve stuck with me thus far, you’re beyond the days of decorating lunch bags or shoe boxes and being mad that you must give a card to every classmate or none of them. Here’s guessing you might want some ideas for celebrating with your own loved one. Of course, you can always fall back on the standards: heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, store-bought cards, and red roses (Now we know why red ones signify love, don’t we? It harkens back to those pagan practices!). Or, you can stay with me, and I’ll offer you a couple of alternate ideas.

First of all, there is a plethora, well, at least a handful of Dallas excursions that include chocolate. Woohoo! Let’s go! Choose from these tours:

• My Heart Belongs to Chocolate
• Chocolate in Your Heart
• The Vintage Valentine’s
• Decadent Valentine Dreams Chocolate
• “My Funny Valentine” Dinner and Comedy Show
• Winery, Chocolate, Pizza, and Jazz
• Tacos, Margaritas, and Valentine’s Celebration, or
• Valentine’s Champagne and Chocolate

Tours not your thing? Got a pocketful of cash? How about a flight over the Dallas skyline at sunset and dusk followed by a fabulous meal for two? Or, consider a hot-air balloon flight at sunrise or sunset that comes complete with champagne and photos for your scrapbook. Flying gives you the jitters? Little to no cash in your tattered jeans? Visit TripSavvy (https://www.tripsavvy.com/unique-valentines-day-ideas-1004736) or the City of Dallas website (http://www.dallascitynews.net/six-ways-celebrate-valentines-day-dallas) for more ideas. Prefer Fort Worth to Dallas? Here are two websites for things to do in Cow Town: Brumbaugh’s, an iconic furniture store for over 50 years, has some ideas, (https://brumbaughs.com/6-unique-places-to-go-on-valentines-day-in-fort-worth/) and so does Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite.com/d/tx–fort-worth/valentines-day-events/. Whatever you do, be glad that bloody rituals have ended and soldiers are no longer confined to the single life. Have fun and enjoy precious time with your loved one.

Written by Kā

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Let’s Get Personal: Writing a Profile Essay

A profile is a great type of essay to write for many reasons. Profiles focus on a particular person, place, or event, and use vivid description techniques to engage the audience. Furthermore, the subject matter usually holds personal importance to the author, so it differs from a descriptive paper in that the personal meaning is discussed and illustrated.

The Mechanics of the Essay

Mechanically, there are a few basic things to remember when writing a profile. For the introduction, you could begin with an anecdote or give background information, which will help the author give context and meaning to the paper. Following this, the writer can introduce the subject.

The body paragraphs of the profile will contain three to five key characteristics of the subject matter. Each characteristic should examine the most important qualities of the topic. There should not be vague or general statements within this paper. Each characteristic is intentional and has great detail and description involved.

The conclusion should summarize the paper and needs to have the specific characteristics restated. There should not be any new information presented in the conclusion, only things that were specifically discussed within the paper.

Practical Steps to Planning the Paper

The best place to start with this type of essay is to pick the specific person, place, or event that you will be focusing on for the paper. Following this, pick three to five important characteristics and include details. Then, go back and expand on each characteristic in order to explain the importance of each. From here, you can write, revise, and edit. Most importantly, remember to not get stressed out and just take the writing process one step at a time.

Profile Example

“Yay, they’re here!” shouted the refugee kids in Salt, Spain. Kids of all ages gathered around as my mission’s team pulled out soccer balls, jump ropes, glitter tattoos, and other fun activities. I paused and took a second to soak in the moment. Kids from all backgrounds with different stories were happily playing on the concrete of the plaza, delighted by the games we brought. Serving in Salt and Girona, Spain, was one of the most profound trips I have gone on, and I am grateful for what I experienced: the diversity, culture, and opportunity to spread the Gospel.

The people who live in Spain come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, yet it is a place where anyone can fit in. The people are kind, friendly, and willing to help the tourists, and want them to experience their culture. I was very nervous about going to another country, especially because it was my first time out of America, but I found everyone whom I encountered personable and eager to help me figure out directions and how to pay with Euros. Furthermore, many Spaniards are eager to interact with tourists. It was such a blessing to share Bible stories in Spanish and Catalan, the official languages of Girona, Spain. Many of the Muslims and other refugees took children’s Bibles with them and brought them back to their houses.

In addition, I loved the pace of life in Spain. Every shop closes for lunch each day for an hour, and dinner is an experience in and of itself. Dinner typically begins around eight or nine and lasts until eleven or midnight. Dinnertime is one aspect of how they value family and community while eating, and it was something I came to treasure while I was visiting. Everyone reminisces about his/her day, laughs, and enjoys the community of others. I find that this is something we lack in America where everything in this country is about having fast and convenient meals, which can sometimes take away from the aspect of intentional community.

Spain is an awesome mission field because the faith is dying out there. Beautiful cathedrals are not much more than museums nowadays, and only two percent of Spaniards are Christians. It was very humbling and impactful to serve alongside the missionary family and their partners. We heard from one of the missionary kids that she was the only Christian in her entire school. She described how difficult and lonely her journey has been growing up in Spain. Yet, she was thankful for the opportunity the Lord gave her to share her faith with so many around her.

Spain will always hold a special place in my heart. From the people, the lifestyle, and the opportunity to share the hope and love of Christ, it is a neat place. I hope that I will be able to return there one day in order to serve the people of Spain more and continue the ministry that we started.

Written by Amanda

For more information on how to write a profile essay, check out our Profile Essay handout and the Quick Reference Flyer page of our website!