Go to the profile of Liz Livi
Liz Livi
Career Development Associate at Fullstack Academy. Helping students apply to their dream jobs by working on two main points of focus: resumes and cover letters.

Cover Letters: An easy outline to follow

Writing cover letters has never been a fun task. But in 2016, and especially in the tech industry, the task has become a little easier because the people who read your cover letters are looking for something short and sweet. I know it boggles the mind as to why we still use something so formal and outdated when we have blogs, portfolios, Linkedins and Githubs to show off our skills. Keep in mind that the point of the cover letter is to get across to the hiring manager that you are legitimately interested in the position you are applying for and that’s it. This is my outline for creating that short and sweet letter. You can use it as a template for every position you are applying to.

  1. Subject Line
  • This matters! Keep to the basics “Application for + (job title)+ (full name)”= success
  • Most companies will do the work for you and tell you what to put, so don’t stress too much. Double check the posting.
  • Don’t be a wise guy. Writing something quirky might get your email sent to the spam folder.

2. Greeting

  • The main focus here is finding who to send the email to. Sir or Madam, or to “whom it may concern” won’t do! Check the website’s “Team” or “Company” page.
  • Use Linkedin for this as well! ( If it’s a tech company look them up on Linkedin and then find their recruiters. Most of them will specify what they recruit i.e: sales, or tech)

3. Body Paragraph — Stick to these main points

  • Introduce yourself
  • Tell them why you are interested
  • Bring up relevant experience and prove it by talking about a project or a previous position
  • Find a connection between your skills and what the company is looking for

4. Closing

  • Make this short and simple.
  • Thank them for their time and consideration
  • Mention the name of the company again
  • Maybe mention where they can learn more about you ( resume, portfolio website, blog)

5. Attachment

  • Always attach your resume in PDF form

Extra Help! Save time by keeping these things the same in your template:

  • Link to portfolio website/ Github/ blog/ links to social media accounts
  • Your Signature
  • Contact info ( which should be below your signature)